


Misadventures in the Devildom

by shenkotv



Category: Shall We Date?: Obey Me!
Genre: Anthology, Brothers Can't Get Enough of Main Character, Eventual Smut, Everyone Wants to Kiss Main Character, Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Light Angst, M/M, Not Canon Compliant, Sort Of, They All Adore The Main Character, more tags to come, slight crack
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-02-22
Updated: 2020-09-09
Packaged: 2021-02-28 02:20:59
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 66,721
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22826284
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/shenkotv/pseuds/shenkotv
Summary: Ren's time in the Devildom is everything but uneventful. Vicious monsters, blooming romances and an abundance of times where things went sideways, how was one human supposed to handle it all?
Relationships: Asmodeus/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Beelzebub/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Belphegor/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Leviathan/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Lucifer/Main Character (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Main Character/Everyone, Main Character/Mammon (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!), Main Character/Satan (Shall We Date?: Obey Me!)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 236





	1. Bothersome Brothers

**Author's Note:**

> Before we get started, I just wanna clear some things up! This probably will not follow the storyline closely if at all and is purely being written for my own personal enjoyment, self-indulgence and because I wanted to add something to the fandom! A few things will be different like the Devildom having a daytime because I'm pretty sure it doesn't and basically all the brothers are infatuated with the main character. Thank you to anyone who reads :D

"Wakey wakey, eggs and bakey!" Mammon loudly sang, a bit _too_ loudly for this time of the morning. It was merely seconds before sunlight filtered through the room as Mammon opened up the curtains. An irritated groan came from underneath the heap of blankets resting on a bed in the corner of the room. 

"Too early," the heap grumbled.

"It's nearly noon, wake up sleepyhead!" Mammon boasted as he jumped onto the bed, prying the covers off of the once resting body.

"It's always too early for you Mammon," Ren moaned as he shivered from the sudden contact of brisk air that hit his skin. 

"I was worried Beelzebub had actually gone and devoured you like those gigantic pizza slices he loves... seriously how does he keep that figure when he eats like garbage?" Mammon pondered.

"I don't know, you guys are demons. Nothing you do makes any sense. Ever."

"Now _that_ , my grumpy little bed-headed friend, is absolutely true," Mammon agreed, ruffling Ren's hair as he sat up in an attempt to shake the sleepiness from his eyes. "Come on, get up. Everyone's already gathering for lunch and is worried about you because you never miss breakfast."

"Sorry to make you guys worry. Beelz kept me up last night," Ren said, rubbing his eyes as he recalled the conversation from last night. He remembers he was about to call it quits for the day, but for some unexplainable reason Beelzebub decided to call Ren. "I just wanted to hear your voice," Beelzebub had said. And somehow that conversation had gone until three in the morning when Ren begged Beelzebub to let him go to sleep. God, the brothers can be so weird.

Ren couldn't wrap his head around why they'd suddenly _all_ taken so much interest in him. When he first enrolled and Mammon was assigned to him, Mammon would've rather spent days foaming at the mouth over his beautiful credit card than spend a single second with the "frail little human." Now the frail little human is all Mammon wants to spend his time with.

Asmodeus and Beelzebub were honestly the worst. Beelzebub would just stare at Ren until he noticed and then would proceed to say things like "You have nice hair and eyes" as if it's _not_ the creepiest thing ever. Asmodeus... well, let's just say Ren's not used to someone being so handsy. 

"W-what!? He kept you up doing _what?!?!"_ Mammon exclaimed. "I swear to Hell, they call me the slimy one when Beelzebub's brute self of a man just-"

"Dear Lord Mammon!" Ren interrupted, "He just wanted to talk. Why are you being so weird about it?"

"I don't like the way Beelzebub just... looks at you like you're some delicious cheeseburger. It bothers me," Mammon huffed, crossing his arms over his chest as he stood up. "All those dumb little brothers think they can just _eyeball_ you like you're a prize to be claimed." 

"I think the Avatar of Greed is showing his horns," Ren commented as he swung his legs over the side of the bed to stand up. He rolled back his shoulders, feeling the release of pressure with each pop down his spine. As he stood beside Mammon, their height difference was pretty clear. Ren always thought if he met a demon they would be a lot bigger than 5'10. He never imagined he'd be four inches taller than one either. "I think you've gotten used to my presence and now you don't want to share my friendship."

"Ha! Friendship, yeah right!" Mammon scoffed. "And that's not me being greedy. I.. I just don't like the way they look at you," Mammon stated, quickly looking away from Ren. Oh, the complicated and confusing emotions of a demon.

Ren chuckled, "I don't know why you guys are always in my grill all of a sudden. Weirdest bunch of people I know." 

"You're as dense as they come," Mammon muttered, voice barely audible. "Anyways, get dressed for breakfast. We're meeting in the dining hall in a few minutes."

"Alright," Ren responded, looking at the door to his room. "Are... you going to step out?"

"What? Why would I do that?" Mammon asked, thoroughly confused.

"So I can get dressed you big dummy. I'm not exactly feeling like an exhibitionist today."

"Oh what a shame!" Mammon lamented. "Today I thought I would finally get you naked." Mammon wiggled his eyebrows, offering a wide and mischievous grin.

"God, you really _are_ the slimy one."

-

"Well well, look who decided to join us today!" Lucifer announced as Ren took a seat at the table. 

"Ooh yay! And right next to me!" Asmodeus lilted, giddily clapping his hands together. "I missed you today at breakfast my dearest Ren. What kept you from me?"

"You can blame Beelz for that one. He called at around eleven and kept me up until three in the morning. Sorry if I worried anyone, I needed my beauty sleep," Ren joked, making everyone laugh at the table. He even broke Beelzebub's intense stare for a second as the corners of his mouth turned up into a smile.

"And it certainly did make you beautiful! You look stunning today, I mean look at this face," Asmodeus fawned as he reached to cup Ren's face in both of his hands. "Look how handsome everyone!" Lately Asmodeus's drive to constantly touch Ren had transformed from pure lust to something more akin to adoration. Ren didn't really know how to handle it regardless so he just let Asmodeus have his way until he was satisfied. 

"Okay, Asmo. That's enough. Can't you see you're bothering Ren?" Mammon exasperated, tone laced with irritation. Uh oh. This must have been what Mammon had been talking about earlier. He hadn't thought much of it in the moment, just the Avatar of Greed not getting something all to himself. Hopefully the situation won't escalate.

"Nobody was talking to you!" Asmodeus snapped.

"You were _literally_ talking to everyone!" Mammon snarled and stood, horns beginning to sprout as he grew more agitated by the second.

"I'll lock you in a freezer with that stupid card of yours you slimy runt!" Asmodeus yelled, slamming his palms on the table as he swiftly stood up from his chair. 

Well, nevermind.

"Gentlemen!" Lucifer boomed from the opposite end of the table, "Can we please not fight argue for one meal? For Ren's sake?"

Both combatants backed down as they returned to their seats, crossing their arms and turning their heads away from each other. "Quite a way to start off the day," Ren said.

-

Lunch ended with idle conversation amongst the brothers, Asmodeus and Mammon completely silent the rest of the time. At one point, Asmodeus turned to Ren, placing his hand on Ren's thigh and asking for his forgiveness. 

"Haha, don't worry about it. Everyone seems to be a little moody lately. Probably because of midterms and everything," Ren had said, waving a hand dismissively to the brothers' little spat. It still freaked him out a little whenever he saw demons get angry like _that._ But honestly, what human wouldn't get freaked out if they saw a devil sprout their horns? However, it did freak him out just a little bit more since the brothers had been bickering way more than usual lately, not just Asmodeus and Mammon. Nearly every other day there was some dispute occurring between two or more of the brothers. Ren didn't know it, but he was definitely at the heart of most of the arguments.

Everyone eventually left the table to attend class and as Ren was about to head out he felt a tap on his shoulder. 

"Hey, Ren. I wanted to talk to you for a minute outside if you have time," Lucifer smiled. "Lunch was tense today and I just wanted to let you know what's going on."

"Oh no, is something wrong?" Ren was now thoroughly concerned. He had definitely picked up on the recent increase inarguing, but if Lucifer was coming to talk to him about it... well, something is _very_ wrong.

"It's better if we go outside," Lucifer said, turning to walk down the corridor and out into the Devildom's courtyard. For such a supposedly demonic place, the courtyard sure was beautiful. Lush, vibrantly green bushes were adorned with an array of colorful flowers. There was a little stone pathway leading to some benches that surrounded a gorgeously crafted stone fountain in the center. Birds would fly in and out, chirping every once in a while and the sun shone brightly as a finishing touch to illuminate the place. Though the Devildom was scary as all Hell at night, it was simultaneously one of the most gorgeous places Ren had ever seen during the day. And he'd seen the Northern Lights before!

The pair sat down on a bench near the fountain, Lucifer sighing before speaking. "I'm afraid what you saw today is just a snippet of what's been going on recently. The brothers have been very... quick to anger lately. You would think after so many ages they would be able to control themselves but... they just can't I'm afraid," Lucifer sighed again, rubbing at his forehead. "Look Ren, as a human, it's probably scary when they act out like this, but I want you to know you're safe. With me. I won't let anything happen to you." Lucifer had taken Ren's hands at that point, thumbs circling his knuckles in a soothing manner.

Ren pulled away, blushing as he did so. "Are all you brothers this... intense?" Ren asked, averting his gaze to the ground and feeling his face grow hot. It's one thing to have Asmodeus be all touchy-feely, but it's another thing to have _Lucifer_ of everyone take you by the hands and basically tell you he will personally protect you. Ren might be as dense as a brick wall, but on the odd occasion there'll be a crack or two in it.

"Yes. But none of them compare to me. Look at me." Lucifer tilted Ren's head up, making direct eye contact with the furiously blushing man. "I mean it. I can't ensure their behavior will improve soon, but I can assure you I will protect you."

"Jesus Christ," Ren breathed out, laughing nervously as he scratched the back of his neck.

"Do I make you nervous?" Lucifer smiled, scooting closer to Ren, their thighs bumping. 

"Well, I mean... yeah," Ren laughed, trying to appease the nerves wracking his body. The temperature outside suddenly felt ten degrees hotter as Lucifer was relentless in his pursuit to make Ren feel as flustered as possible. It also didn't help Lucifer knew exactly the affect he was having on Ren.

"Good."

Yeah, Ren was definitely going to explode into a million pieces. What a shame he's going to ruin the garden with his scattered remains as his body spontaneously combusts. Literally _anything_ would be better than being trapped in this current situation. 

Lucifer let out a loud laugh as he threw his head back and clutched his stomach. Great, now he's laughing _at_ Ren. This situation really couldn't get any worse.

"You humans are so easily flustered. I should do this more often, it's fun watching you squirm," Lucifer said, grin as wide and as shit-eating as he could make it. 

"You are so unbelievably evil."

"Oh... you have no idea."

-

Later that night, Ren was getting ready for bed as he turned off his lamp and crawled underneath his blankets. He was convinced that during the nighttime, no matter how hot the temperature is during the day, it was freezing cold at night. Just as he got comfortable, he heard a knock at his door. There were no actual locks in the Devildom aside from enchantments to keep anyone from waltzing in at anytime (which Ren should really look into since the brothers always just barge in), so it was nice of whoever was at the door to knock. 

"Come in!" Ren shouted, turning on his lamp and sitting up. Although he would prefer to not be disturbed at ten at night, he decided to show some hospitality to the respectful knocker.

The door opened to reveal Beelzebub peeking his head in as he slowly stepped into the room wearing only his pajama shorts. "I wanted to spend the night here," Beelzebub stated, lightly scratching at his chest.

"What's wrong with your room Beelz? Did Leviathan release invisible gremlins in it again?" Ren half-joked. Ren remembers how furious Beelzebub had been, he stayed in Leviathan's room for several days as a petty punishment. Eventually, Leviathan got so tired of Beelzebub finding his way into his secret food stash that he cast the gremlins out of Beelzebub's room. Peace had been restored to the Devildom once more.

"I don't like it there. It's dark and I'm alone," Beelzebub said with a small pout, almost childlike.

"Well... alright then. But you can either take the floor or make yourself fit because I'm not giving you the entire bed." Ren turned off the lamp again and scooted over, Beelzebub making his way underneath the covers. Though Beelzebub certainly took up the rest of the space, neither was in danger of falling off the bed.

Ren turned his back to Beelzebub in order to find his comfortable position again when he felt a warm presence place itself firmly against his back, an arm wrapping around his stomach. Ren's eyes widened at the contact. Beelzebub's fiery body heat completely replaced the soft chill that was ever present in his room at night despite being underneath three blankets. 

"Beelz?"

"I like to cuddle. And you're big like me, so I don't feel like I'll crush you." Ren chuckled at that. He'd known Beelzebub to be softer at heart, but surely not as much of a teddybear as this. And it was true, though Beelzebub stood at six and a half feet tall, Ren was by no means a lanky or small person. He filled out pretty well at 6'2, frame broad and wide, tummy a bit rounded as he couldn't help but snack over the delicious treats the Devildom carried. "I also like your tummy. Hehe, poke," Beelzebub giggled as he gently poked at Ren's stomach. 

"You're like an overgrown child I swear," Ren muttered as he closed his eyes. In an interesting way, Ren fit perfectly against Beelzebub's chest, like two puzzle pieces that found their match. Beelzebub nestled his nose against the back of Ren's coarse, black hair.

"I like your hair too. It's not soft like I'd expect. Kind of like horse hair."

"Thanks? I think..." What an odd... compliment? At least, it sounded like a compliment. God, Beelzebub could be the sweetest yet strangest person at times. Ren couldn't help but wonder why of all nights he'd decided to make his way here. Surely one of the other brothers would've gladly kept him company for the night. Or maybe they were all collectively being jerks.

"Ren?"

"Yes Beelz?"

"I want to be little spoon."

-


	2. Confidence, Cafes and a Missed Call

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leviathan invites Ren over, Mammon wants to go out and our main character receives an urgent message.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THINGS GETTIN STEAMIER TEEHEE

Ren was sitting on his bed, browsing the internet far and wide on his laptop in an attempt to entertain himself any way he could. At some point he'd gotten to the "fails" section of Deviltube (because for some reason Youtube didn't work in the Devildom) and was watching strangers eat total shit. 

He was soon pulled from his meaningless activity as his D.D.D rang seven times in succession. Someone was _clearly_ trying to get a hold of him.

_Hey Ren_

_Come over so we can play video games together_

_I know you're in your room doing nothing_

_I may be a demon but you leaving me hanging IS WAY MORE EVIL!!!!!!_

_Pleeeeeeaaaasssseeeeeeeeeuuuuuuuuhhhhhhhhhhhhhh_

_I'm bored_

_And also I hate soloing_

Oh Leviathan, as pushy as ever. Ren closed his laptop, deciding he'd head over to Leviathan's since he really had nothing better to do. Might as well rot his brain away with a friend instead. 

_Okay, I will be over in a few minutes :)_

_OMGGGGG BEST HUMAN EVAAARRRRRRR :DDDD_

As he approached Leviathan's room, it never occurred to Ren why Leviathan suddenly wanted to hang out. In fact, Leviathan was probably the hardest one of the brothers to win over since he arrived in the Devildom. He pretty much expressed his avid _dislike_ for Ren and called him a puny human every chance he got. Lately he'd been a bit nicer, saying hello to Ren everytime they stumbled into each other in the halls and being overall a bit more cordial. But, he never thought Leviathan would actually ask to hang out.

He knocked on the door to Leviathan's room, the sounds of faint shuffling coming from inside. "State the password," a voice said from behind the door. Password? Since when was there a password to enter his room? Oh god... if it's for privacy reasons because he has a secret hentai stash somewhere, Ren will sprint right back to room. 

"Uh... Levi is the best?" Ren tried, scratching his head. 

"That is very much so incorrect, but I like that so you can enter!" The door opened up to reveal a smiling Leviathan. "Please do enter my humble abode," the third eldest said as he stepped to the side, offering an extended arm towards the bedroom. 

When Ren stepped inside he couldn't help but notice how unusually... tidy the room looked. Typically there were empty chip bags thrown everywhere and manga covered the floors making it practically impossible to step without tripping over something. The room even smelled different too. Typically it reeked of sweaty, pubescent, dirty old socks which Ren found very interesting since he was sure Leviathan was far past that stage in his life. Probably closer to his fifth hundred millenium, give or take. Instead, it smelled like cherry, something fruity but also a little sensual. Definitely not Leviathan's style.

"I see you finally cleaned," Ren teased as he sat on the bed. "I can actually stretch my limbs out in this place."

"Well I'll have you know _Ren,_ I can clean up quite well. Just only when I feel like it. Or for... special guests," Leviathan winked, giving a small smile too. Wait... Leviathan winking? Is this some sort of dream? Leviathan, the same guy who starts stuttering and getting red in the face whenever Ren's hands accidentally brush against his or when their thighs bump underneath the dinner table. Where was this newfound playfulness, this newfound confidence, coming from? Yeah it was just a wink, no big deal, but for Leviathan this was _absolutely_ a big deal. He'd expect the flirting with Lucifer or Mammon, hell, even Beelzebub who was just pretty straightforward about what he felt most of the time. But with Leviathan? This was uncharted territory.

"Yeah, I am pretty special huh? Everyone's favorite human. Especially yours right?" That got Leviathan. His face immediately turned red and he looked down before quickly shaking his head, swiftly regaining his composure. Ren couldn't help but get a kick over how easy it was to make Leviathan blush like that, perhaps one of the few times he had power over a demon.

"Anyways," Levi began, "I invited you here to play video games but I also wanted to ask you a question."

"Alright, shoot."

"So... Beelzebub, yeah?" Levi asked, almost a bit hesitant. Oh god, Ren should've known that was coming. It'd been the talk of the school for a while now even though Ren couldn't really understand why. Probably Mammon drumming up some over the top story that was completely false. However, he was thankful Leviathan hadn't immediately pressed him about it unlike the other brothers. Mammon threw an absolute fit, wings nearly sprouting and Asmodeus found it incredibly unfair he didn't get the chance to be held by Ren. Satan seemed very irritated by the event and Belphegor refused to talk about it. Lucifer and Leviathan were the only two that left it more or less alone when they found out. The question of how the entire school found out though is still a mystery to Ren.

"We just cuddled, I don't get the big deal. Beelzebub just didn't want to sleep alone that night. All we did was sleep together, like literally just sleeping. Nothing else. I promise," Ren explained. "We're just friends."

There was a "does Beelzebub know that" on the tip of Leviathan's tongue but he decided against saying that out loud.

"Okay. I believe you. I just wanted to hear it directly from you. There's been rumors going around, but I'm far too old to let gossip make me draw any final conclusions. Your word is as good as true, I feel it." That felt good, having Leviathan flat out say "I trust you" without asking any further questions. Ren wishes the other brothers could be more like that. "And," Leviathan spoke again as he sat next to Ren, "If you need anything... I'm here for you." 

Ren looked at the hand placed on his knee before looking back up at Leviathan, a small sympathetic smile on his lips. Now it was his turn to lower his head as he blushed. Damn these brothers and their unwavering intensity. Ren was never much of an "all eyes on me" kind of person, so all this new attention kept him in a continuous state of feeling hot in the face. 

"Thanks Leviathan, but, um... what game did you have in mind?" Ren said, quickly trying to shift the focus of the conversation. 

"Oh! I'd nearly forgotten! Well, I recently bought a new DevilBox and I found some human games that seemed really fun," Leviathan said, getting up from the bed to go to his desk which had a row of methodically stacked video games. "How about Resident Evil? Or Mortal Kombat? They're both destructive and bloody but also require some strategy. They're basically speaking my love language when it comes to video games."

"How about Resident Evil? I like zombies."

"Ah, a man after my own heart," Leviathan said, winking again.

Yeah... Ren was going to explode.

-

"I demand you go to this cafe with me that just opened up right outside the Devildom," Mammon said, announcing his presence as he barged into Ren's room.

"I feel as though I have no choice but to say yes," Ren responded, taking out his earphones as he'd taken note of his door swinging open to show the ever loud and gregarious Mammon.

"You do not! So up! Off we go!"

Ren rolled his eyes in mock annoyance, but he couldn't help the small smile that tugged at the corners of his mouth. Yes, it was _very_ annoying whenever the brothers (it's mostly Mammon) came into his room without knocking first, but he'd gotten used to it, even expecting it some days.

The pair walked through the halls of the Devildom in companionable silence, taking note of the sun beginning to set, that dusky pink haze clouding the sky to indicate dusk was on its way. Normally Ren would avoid walking around or near the Devildom at night, but if he was with a brother it wasn't so bad.

"I hear you and Levi are friends now," Mammon finally spoke. "He told me he invited you over to play video games and you actually showed up. He texted four of us earlier but none of us were available. Thanks for keeping him busy," Mammon turned to Ren, nudging his shoulder as they kept walking.

"Yeah, no problem. I mean, if Leviathan considers us friends then sure, we're friends. He's been a lot nicer to me lately. He's actually real sweet, you know?" Ren fondly remembered the gaming session they had. They talked about anything and everything for hours and paused the game at one point to watch some movies together (they really just binged The Seven Lords). At some point Leviathan had dozed off and was laying his head on Ren's shoulder, breath slow and quiet. Ren had tried to move to let Leviathan sleep, but as soon as he did, Leviathan wrapped an arm around his waist and nuzzled himself into Ren's neck, muttering a barely audible "don't go." Ren whispered an "okay" and they stayed like that for a while. Was every brother such a cuddle bug? 

"I suppose. Kind of a brat despite being the third oldest of us, but he's a little sweetie when it comes down to it," Mammon agreed. "Alright we're here!"

The cafe Mammon had brought them to was actually rather large. The inside had little lights strung across the seating area, the whole place painted bright white. In contrast, the big menu sign placed above the register was filled with colors, each item written in chalk with its matching price beside it. There was a certain section of the place designated for taking photos with a few props set to the side, the perfect Devilgram opportunity waiting. A cute and quaint little place Ren thought to himself. 

"I'm friends with some of the workers here so we don't have to pay either," Mammon cheerfully said. Oh Mammon, anything to save a few Grimm. 

They took their seats at a table and ordered drinks before continuing to talk, Ren a chai iced tea and Mammon a simple coffee. 

"So, I kind of had something I wanted to talk to you about. It's been buggin' me," Mammon spoke. He was avoiding looking directly at Ren, his hands fidgety as he played with his fingers. This was a little unlike him. Normally if he had a problem Mammon had absolutely no hesitation to voice it and let the entire universe know. It was almost like he was embarrassed to say whatever it was. "Beelzebub... why him?"

Oh, great. This again. It'd been a week and you'd think by now everyone would be over it, but Mammon sure knew how to hold on to things. After all, he had reacted the _worst_ out of everyone. He'd really thought this conversation would end with Leviathan.

"I just... I don't get it Ren. If he really makes you happy then... that's nice, I guess." Something wasn't right, there was almost no jealousy in his voice but something else closely related to disappointment. In fact, Mammon almost seemed torn up about it. But why would he sound so beaten up about this? God, these brothers really don't make any sense.

"Woah, what? Mammon I think you've got the wrong idea. Beelz and I are friends. Like really, just friends. He just didn't want to be alone that night. Is it so wrong to comfort a friend?" 

"Well... I guess not. But, I thought he'd spent the night. And you know... you guys... just seem really close... and stuff," Mammon trailed off. 

"Okay, what's wrong. You're being weird and sad. That's totally off-brand for you."

"Agh, I hate this. We shouldn't do this here. Let's go back to the Devildom after our drinks come. I can explain it better there." Ren wasn't sure if he should be worried or not. There has to be something else, some other underlying concern he's not making clear to Ren.

After their drinks came, they ventured back to the Devildom but the walk was filled with uncomfortable silence this time. A heaviness lingered over them, a foreboding aura suffocating the air around the boys. Eventually, Mammon stopped in front of his room. "It's better if we talk about it in here." Well, this couldn't get any more ominous.

Ren closed the door behind them while Mammon took a seat on his bed, sighing before looking at Ren. "You really don't have any idea what I'm talking about, do you?"

"No... you're kind of freaking me out Mammon. What's going on?" By this point, Mammon was wringing his hands, getting up off the bed and pacing anxiously back and forth across the room. 

"Man, I really hate that you do this to me."

"Do what? What's going on, you can talk to me," Ren said, grabbing Mammon's hand.

Mammon sighed, letting his head fall down before looking back up at Ren. "It's stuff like that. The touching and... other things."

"What about it? Do you not like it? I can stop if it makes you uncomfortable." Oh no, had Ren upset Mammon? Maybe he'd been invading Mammon's space a little lately... But then again, Mammon was always the one to barge into Ren's room, to wake Ren up earlier than he'd like, to make plans with him on a whim and give the poor guy no choice but to tag along.

"No!" Mammon blurted out, face turning a little red. "I just... I'm not used to it. It's like... when you touch me I just want it more," the demon confessed. "This is so embarrassing man, you probably don't even think twice about it." 

Oh.

_Oh._

Ren was stunned, staring wide-eyed at the man who basically confessed... something. Was it feelings? Or maybe Mammon wants Ren to only touch him? Do demons even get feelings? Like _those_ kind of feelings. Either way, it felt like a confession of some kind.

"What are you saying Mammon?" Ren asked carefully. Last thing he'd want is to further upset him. 

"It means I'm the Avatar of Greed and I can't _stand_ it when anyone else touches you. I know it's not realistic, I don't own you but goddamnit Ren," Mammon seethed. Mammon felt it, the anger, the frustration, felt the white marks beginning to glow on his body and his horns begin to sprout. He was losing control, but he couldn't. Not in front of Ren at least. He took a deep breath, letting the anger run its course until it dissolved, floating away until it became a distant emotion.

On the other hand, so much was swirling around inside Ren's head. But he understood now. This was Mammon's way of revealing his feelings. He was pulling back the curtain, dropping that boisterous, happy-go-lucky facade and baring his heart to Ren. So many things were still unanswered though. When did Mammon start to feel like this? More importantly, out of everyone in the entire universe to get stingy over, why Ren? He never really thought too much about Mammon's jealous fits, but they were starting to make a lot more sense now.

"Please," Mammon's voice came out small, "Let me be the only one to touch you. If just for tonight." He'd tilted his head up, looking at Ren with pleading eyes that sometimes snuck a peek at the taller's lips. 

Ren sighed, leaning forward until their foreheads rested against each other. "Okay." It was a simple response, but it was all Mammon needed to hear. His skin stopped glowing and he felt the frustration fully dissipate with the thought that Ren was _his._ It might be for just tonight, but specifics are for chumps.

They stayed like that for a moment, just basking in Ren's affirmation. Eventually, Mammon broke away from the embrace, staring at Ren's pools of brown before casting his attention to the boy's lips. "Can I?" Another proposition.

Ren wanted to, so bad. Maybe it's just the heat of the moment, or maybe it's the outright desire Mammon's expressing for him. Neither option really mattered though as he leaned in, closing the gap between them and softly pressing their lips together. He'd cupped the other's face, Mammon clutching at the back of his shirt to grab fistfuls of fabric.

It was everything Mammon thought about. He knew Ren was much taller than him but he was so delicate in the way he held Mammon's face, in the way he was pouring his everything into this kiss. Never had he wanted to just _melt_ into someone's arms. God, he's becoming such a sap.

For Ren, it was better than anything he'd ever dreamed of. It was soft, passionate, no trace of anything lusty or sinful. He'd kissed a few people back home, maybe even had his fair bit of stupid teenage makeouts, but nothing felt like this. This felt... different. Like this would be something he could come back to, a soft kiss waiting for him at the end of a particularly rough day of exams. It was something inviting, tender, totally unexpected from the way he knew Mammon.

Their mouths moved together in sync, both striving to get a fuller and better taste of each other. Mammon felt that hot, warm pit in his stomach, letting him know he'd need to stop soon or he'll just have his way. But damn, he knew he'd never get enough of this feeling. The way Ren's shirt felt bunched up in his fingers, his hands cupping his face, holding him in place as he passionately kissed him silly. Mammon would never admit it out loud, but he _really_ could get used to kissing Ren.

Soon, Mammon had to resist and put his hands on Ren's chest to separate them. "I don't think I'll be able to hold back if we keep going," Mammon bashfully said, tan cheeks blazing red. 

"What if I don't want you to hold back, hm?" Ren pressed, detesting the absence of Mammon's mouth on his. 

"Shit... don't say stuff like that Ren. It's hard enough for me not to jump your bones any chance I get. Please don't make this harder," Mammon all but begged. He was honestly a little humiliated by the way he was acting. The fact a human had him all worked up like this... the brothers are never gonna let him hear the end of it. 

"Okay fine. But can we cuddle? I've heard I'm a great big spoon!" Ren beamed. 

"Hell no! I'm _definitely_ big spoon," Mammon challenged. It was more than enough Ren, a little human, had just reduced the mighty Mammon to basically putty a few minutes ago, but now he wants to further emasculate him by making him little spoon? This human had another thing coming!

However, Mammon was in fact little spoon that night. 

And he loved every second of it.

-

The next morning, Ren woke early to find a missed call and text message from Lucifer. "Call me back when you have the chance. It's important," the text message read. Oh man, sounds really serious. Whatever it was, Lucifer only sends messages when it's something very urgent like keeping Mammon's credit card locked away or making sure Beelzebub doesn't eat the entire school. You know, only the most dire matters. 

Ren looked back over to Mammon's sleeping figure, his chest rising and falling peacefully. He'd hate to let him wake up to an empty bed...

Ren quietly moved from the mattress and went to Mammon's desk. After searching the clutter (seriously, is this supposed to be his "work" desk?) Ren found a sharpie and some spare sticky notes. Using the combined tools, he wrote Mammon a message in hopes that it would somewhat suffice waking up alone.

_I feel bad leaving before you've waken up so I'm writing this. Pls don't be mad, I enjoyed last night and I won't forget it. Lucifer told me he needs me for something important. I'll see you at breakfast yeah? Love, Ren ♡_

Perfect. Ren placed the note on top of Mammon's nightstand and quietly exited the room.

_Got your message, I'll be at your dorm soon._

_Okay. Hurry. It's urgent._

Well, nothing like a few haunting texts to start the day!

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> okay i actually hated this chapter for like so long and i rewrote it LMAO. but anyways, if u liked it let me know because that inspires me to write more TEEHEE


	3. Conversations and a Carnival

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Lucifer wants to learn more about Ren in the name of research and Satan wants to go to a carnival.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> possible tw warning!!! there's some talk about mental health issues/alcoholism relating to family issues. also there's some slight sexual content so TEEHEE. read at your own discretion :D

"Hey, I'm here, what's wrong?" Ren worriedly asked as he opened Lucifer's door to find him sitting at his desk, scribbling away at some paper. Lucifer didn't seem too distressed, if anything he seemed pretty calm and collected, but then again, when wasn't he? It was sort of his thing. The calm, cool brother. 

"Oh, good! You're here," Lucifer smiled, getting up from his seat to wrap Ren up in a firm embrace. Ren, a little puzzled, slowly hugged the man back. 

"Uh... Hi? No offense Lucifer, but your text sounded really important so I rushed here as fast as I could. And it's 7:30 in the morning on a weekend, so just give it to me straight if it's really that bad. No sugarcoating."

"Oh my, straight to the point I see! Well, I suppose there's no time to waste. Come," Lucifer said, pulling up a spare chair to his desk and taking a seat again. Ren took the seat next to him, leaning slightly forward onto the desk and rubbing the sleep from his eyes.

"Okay, I can't lie to you. I might have drummed up the seriousness of the issue ever so slightly," Lucifer started, noting Ren's immediate irritation. After all, he did interrupt Ren's very special canoodling session. "However, I do need something important from you. I'm doing a collective research project on humans to better understand them. You wouldn't believe how little there is on humans here in the Devildom library. I wanted to use you as a source."

"Oh, alright I guess. Not as urgent as someone dying, but still important I guess. What do you need from me?" Ren was still a little bothered over the fact he basically ditched Mammon's comforting presence to be part of a research project this early in the morning, but you win some you lose some.

"Just some general information about yourself. I won't ask anything too crazy, keeping it light and simple," Lucifer assured, grabbing a notepad and pen. "First question! What is your racial identity?"

"This one's a little complicated. I'm technically Asian and Latino because my mom is Indian and my dad is Mexican, but Latino isn't exactly a 'race.' It's more like... describing people from a place of origin and those people are from Latin America," Ren explained. For a first question, this was already getting pretty complicated. 

"I see, so you're saying only one half of you belongs to a certain 'race?' You humans sure love labels," Lucifer commented. 

"In a way? It's sort of a difficult topic to explain. Race wasn't actually a real thing. It was socially constructed to try to better identify, classify, or historically oppress groups of people. There's a lot to it, I would recommend looking up some Deviltube videos for better explanations." If this was keeping it "light and simple" Ren was afraid of what the next few questions would be.

"Okay, I suppose that makes sense. So what you're saying is it was created by society rather than it being a human genetic thing?" Lucifer further questioned.

"Yeah, exactly. There's nothing in anyone's DNA that can specifically point them to a specific 'race' per say. It's just an idea someone made up." Ren knew this was all in the name of research, but what exactly was the point in conducting a study on humans if your main population is demons and other celestials? Though this thought crossed his brain, Ren knew better than to question anything the brothers did.

"Alright then. Question two! How do you experience romantic attraction, if at all?" 

"Uh... I mean, like anyone else?" Ren answered, a little confused. What was the exact purpose of _this_ question? Ren supposed it did tie in with general human behavior, but what would be the advantage of this knowledge? Was Lucifer expecting cross-species relations with the new acceptance of humans into the Devildom? Were demons even a different species? They appeared pretty human-like. Ren wasn't too sure.

"No, I mean, personally and specifically tailored to you. When you begin to develop romantic feelings for someone, what does that process feel like?" Lucifer clarified.

Ren hummed a little, wracking his brain for past memories of what it felt like to feel super into someone. The slight hesitation, not knowing if you should cross the line from friendship to intimate partner despite the obvious reciprocation of feelings. Slightly similar to the way Mammon made him feel last night.

"For me it can be a little slow, but then it's all at once. It'll take me a minute to realize it because I like to know someone first, but then I guess I 'fall' for someone pretty quickly after that. It's not always entirely linear for me I think. I haven't been with anyone for an extended period of time so it's hard for me to really say." And it was an honest answer too. Ren hadn't been in a concrete relationship yet (which he felt embarrassed about since 20 crept up on him way too quickly last July), but he did know that he was quick to fall. He would think purely with his heart, all passion and no time to waste with it. Unfortunately, this always lead to a common problem.

"And how would you describe these brief endeavors?" Lucifer followed up, scribbling away at his notepad when Ren spoke.

 _Well_ , Ren thought, _time to discuss the common problem._

"Uh... I tend to burn out pretty quick. I feel all these things, but then after a month or two I just don't feel it at all anymore. Then that feeling persists and I hate lying to people. I usually just break it off at that point." Yeah... this didn't paint Ren in the prettiest light.

"You sound like an utter nightmare to be involved with."

"Wow. Thanks Lucifer," Ren deadpanned.

"I'm only joking," that snarky demon snickered. "At least you're honest. I couldn't fault you for the truth, no matter how upset I'd be."

"That makes me feel better, but I always felt like an asshole everytime it happened."

"I suppose in that situation someone will get hurt no matter what you do. Humans, celestials and demons included only ever do what we think is right in the moment. Pointless to look back and continuously ponder forever."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Out of all the brothers, Lucifer was definitely the wisest. Sure, he's probably lived the longest so he has the most experience, but some of the brothers hardly seemed like "adults" much less several hundred thousand years old. 

"Okay then. One last question! How would you describe your childhood and older adolescence?"

Oh shit. Ren didn't have the _roughest_ childhood, but it certainly could've been better. And he wasn't sure how up to it he was feeling to talk about it. But maybe... it would be cathartic? 

"Well... my parents were really young, just barely tapping twenty. They split when I was three and officially divorced when I was four. I was too young to understand what was going on, but I guess my dad not being around often for that year between the split and the divorce affected me a lot as a kid. I just couldn't understand why they no longer wanted to be together. But, as I got older I understood more. For years I blamed my dad, that it was his fault and that he was the reason they split. Probably in part because my mom fed me a lot of half-truths and I was young and impressionable so I believed her. Umm...," Ren paused, feeling the weight of the memories resurfacing. "When I got into high school it, uh, it caused a lot of problems for me and my mom. Uh, fuck, sorry," he dryly laughed, looking up to blink back forming tears before bowing his head so Lucifer couldn't see him begin to cry. "I honestly don't know why I'm starting to cry, guess I just haven't really talked about this in a while." Ren wiped underneath his eyes, blinking a few more times and sniffling.

So much for keeping it "light and simple." In a way, talking about this made his heart feel heavy. It brought back old memories he'd long fought to bury, desperately wanting to leave it six feet under. At the same time, he'd never really talked much about it, maybe at a few therapy sessions he'd had when he was 15. Not that he was trying to treat Lucifer like his new therapist, but he was finding it a little easier to open up to him than most.

Ren felt a palm slip over his hand, felt soothing fingers rub circles on his knuckles. "We don't have to continue if it is too much. I understand," Lucifer spoke, lowering his head so he could look into Ren's eyes. "But I'm here for you. Know that." Ren smiled at that, that reassurance, that declaration of "through thick and through thin." 

Ren inhaled, closed his eyes for a few seconds and nodded his head. "I'm okay. I can get through it. I just needed a moment." Lucifer didn't look convinced, so Ren squeezed the hand that rested on his knee. "Really, I'll be okay." 

"Alright. You can stop anytime you like."

"Okay. So as I was saying, high school caused some problems. We shared a room and my mom didn't like that I was growing up and going out more and was seeing her less and less. She would flip out on me regularly, so I moved out when I was 14 and in with my dad. It hurt her a lot, but I needed my own space and to be in an environment that was better than that. The following year when I was 15, she completely lost it on Christmas Eve. I was trying to explain to her my plan so I could see both sides of my family. She got unreasonably angry that I wouldn't spend Christmas Day with her even though I'd already told her what I was going to do weeks in advance. She texted me a lot of nasty things and I decided I couldn't do it anymore. That wasn't the first time she'd done something like that either, it was just the worst. I blocked her number and everything. I haven't talked to her since," Ren finished.

He was twiddling his thumbs while Lucifer furiously scribbled on his notepad, eyebrows knitted together in confusion. "Do you have any explanation for her behavior?" Lucifer asked, still scratching away.

"She has a lot of mental health issues she never took care of despite having so many resources at her disposal. And she drinks on top of that. Everything gets amplified when she drinks and that's normally when she flips out. But... I have to be honest Lucifer. It felt good when I cut her off. It still feels good... Am I wrong for feeling that way?" Ren couldn't help but wonder. After all, she _is_ his mother. He just couldn't bring himself to justify that fact in order to make up for everything else. The balance just wasn't there. He had a feeling it would still be a while until he was ready to speak to her.

"Hmm, tough to say," Lucifer began. "Yes, she is your mother. However, from what you've told me, it seems that she has damaged your relationship very badly and it is mainly up to her to fix it. With this scenario, I think you are allowed to be selfish. If someone does not better your life, why keep them? Family or not. To put it simply, I do not think you are wrong for feeling that way." Lucifer gently smiled when he spoke, letting Ren know what he was feeling shouldn't be invalidated. 

Ren simply nodded and let Lucifer take his hands. He looked up, looking Lucifer in those fierce, earnest eyes. That was probably a mistake on his part. He felt his entire stomach do backflips at the way Lucifer was staring, fixated like he'd never be able to look at Ren again. "You are a very interesting human. Not often do I find myself enjoying someone else's company. Thank you for cooperating, I really do appreciate it," came Lucifer's honest words. He was rubbing circles again on Ren's knuckles and fingers with his thumbs and he hated how giddy it made him feel.

"Thanks for the reassurance. It, uh, felt nice," Ren blushed, ducking his head again to avoid Lucifer's eye contact. God, he really hated the way Lucifer could reduce him to a flustered mess. He was pretty tan so it was difficult for crimson to dust his cheeks, but it seemed unavoidable with the demon. 

As if on cue, Lucifer scooted closer to Ren, leaning in to place calculated lips close to the younger's ear. "Am I making you nervous?" Lucifer's voice rang, deep and seductive. Ren shuddered, cursing himself for blushing a furiously embarrassing red. 

"Oh my god," Ren breathed out, feeling Lucifer's palms rest on the middle of his thighs. As if he thought it couldn't get any worse, Lucifer hummed in his ear before softly biting his lobe. Ren couldn't help his sensitivity, basically grabbing onto the man's arms for support as he melted into the action. 

"What else will you let me get away with?" Lucifer asked, voice dripping with an ungodly amount of sensuality. He kept gently biting and nipping around Ren's ear, careful to move around areas that were pierced with earrings. 

"Anything," Ren gasped. His head was spinning. Several minutes ago he was ridden with tears and now his pants were becoming increasingly uncomfortable. Goddamn that Lucifer.

"Mmm, so responsive," Lucifer purred, continuing his ministrations along Ren's jaw. He peppered the skin there with an abundance of delicate kisses, leaving a soft nip here and there to keep Ren on his toes. By then, Lucifer had fully crawled into Ren's lap as he adorned his jaw with tender kisses. 

Ren swore everything in the Devildom happened so fast. Just this morning he was wrapped up in euphoric cuddles with Mammon and now he was being defiled by Lucifer an hour later. Wait, Mammon. Oh my god Mammon.

"Wait, Lucifer stop," Ren said, taking hold of the older's arms. "I... I have to tell you something." Ren felt like it was only fair to Mammon. He remembers Mammon saying even if it was only for that night, but he couldn't help feeling dirty for going and getting frisky with his brother the next morning. "I was with Mammon yesterday. We kissed and didn't do anything else after, but I feel wrong coming here and doing this. Him and I aren't a 'thing.' But I still feel bad."

"You humans and your monogamy," Lucifer chuckled, still in Ren's lap. "I know my brother. I wouldn't have made advancements had I known it would be a true problem with him. He might not like sharing, but he will adjust." 

Lucifer glanced at the clock above Ren, realizing it was nearing breakfast time. "Oh! Breakfast will be ready soon. As much as I could continue fooling around, I'm afraid they would miss us terribly." Lucifer began to remove himself from Ren but hesitated, sitting back down on the younger's thighs. "Before you go," Lucifer started, stealing a second to look at Ren's pouty, full lips. They both instinctively leaned in, bridging the remaining space between them.

As their lips connected, Lucifer sighed into the kiss, throwing his arms around Ren's neck to bring them impossibly closer. Though Ren still felt bad about the situation, he simultaneously reveled in the way Lucifer kissed him, so different from Mammon. His lips moved against Ren's with a sense of urgency. Sensuality and romance mixed together to create a burning desire boiling in the center of Ren's chest, threatening to overflow. 

"Do we have to stop?" Ren mumbled against the other's lips. 

"Mmm, we do. Sadly. We must split ways for a few minutes my dearest Ren." Lucifer placed one last innocent kiss on Ren's lips before finally tearing away from him. "I'll see you at the table, yes?" Lucifer said as he turned away, heading over towards his closet.

"Yeah, I'll see you there." Ren awkwardly exited the room, leaning back against the door after he closed it. 

What the hell just happened?

-

It'd been a few weeks since Ren's encounter with Lucifer. At first, Ren thought Lucifer was actively trying to ignore him since the man hadn't spoken to him for a few days afterwards. But within the following week Lucifer was dragging him into unpopulated corridors, fiending for the taste of Ren's lips. They'd sneak away when they could, residing in each other's dorm or secretly tucked away in one of the Devildom's many hidden alcoves. Ren was always left hot and bothered with a burning problem in his pants from their makeout sessions. 

Mammon on the other hand had become entirely domestic, always waiting for Ren at night so they could cuddle and kiss each other goodnight. It felt nice to have something to anticipate when he'd walk in the door. Ren even yelled "honey I'm home!" one time as a joke (it wasn't really a joke). They'd talked about Lucifer, Mammon agreeing that it irritated him to know about Lucifer's involvement with Ren. But Mammon settled on letting Lucifer have his time with him as long as he could snuggle with the boy at night.

Ren was laying on his bed, scrolling through Deviltube again to find a fails compilation he hadn't already re-watched for the ninth time. A text message from Satan appeared on his screen, briefly interrupting his viewing experience.

_Hi Ren! There's going to be a pop-up carnival tonight at the Fairgrounds. Care to join me?_

Ooh, some fun festivities never hurt anyone. Except maybe Mammon's grades.

Ren thought it would be a good idea to go out with Satan. Though he received a lot of attention from Mammon and Lucifer as is, he'd often text and chat with Satan. They'd talk about anything and everything, never running out of things to say. At the table they'd knock each other's knees or kick the others foot from across their seat, trying to conceal their laughter. The two were noticeably good friends.

_Yeah sounds like a good time! Wanna meet up around six?_

_Sure! I'll see you then and meet you at your dorm :D_

Ren was sure they'd have a great time, riding rollercoasters and playing overpriced games. However, nothing could've really prepared him for what the night had in store...

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TEEHEE MYSTERIOUS CLIFFHANGER OOOOO. i was originally going to incorporate Satan and Ren's carnival trip into this but i thought i'd make it its own separate chapter so hopefully u see why HEHE


	4. Fun and Fiends at the Fairgrounds

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren and Satan have fun at the carnival until some visitors show up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i made up a creature in this chapter and there's some light mentions of magic bc i figured it's probably prevalent in the obey me universe. also SATAN AND REN TEEHEEEEEEEE

It was nearing six and Ren was still deciding on an outfit. Should he go casual blue jeans with an oversized pink t-shirt? Or maybe he should pick his black jeans that had rips in the knees. He could top it off with his black and white striped t-shirt that had a small Campbell's soup can embroidered on the left side of his chest. Decisions, decisions. Those black jeans _did_ nicely frame his butt. And Satan would probably notice, he'd begun to notice everything about Ren. 

Okay, black jeans and soup can shirt it was! 

Just as Ren was getting fully dressed, there was a knock at his door. "Come in!" he yelled, still trying to hike up his pants over his butt. When had his pants gotten this tight? Maybe he was spending a little too much time with Beelzebub... 

"Nice ass," Satan commented when he walked in the room, setting his jacket on Ren's nearby study table. "Need help?"

"No...," Ren initially said. "...Yes," Ren sighed a moment later. "I don't know what happened. I don't eat _that_ much, not even when I'm with Beelz."

"If you are gaining weight it only appears to distribute to your thighs and your butt. Not that I'm complaining," Satan winked. They'd been texting for a while so Ren nearly forgot how quick-witted Satan could be in person, nearly just as much as Mammon.

"You're gross. Get over here and help me."

"Yes bossy pants," Satan snickered. Satan came behind Ren, hooking his hands onto the sides of his pants and pulling up. Ren felt like one of those Devilgram girls who probably jumps to pull up their pants so their butt looks nice. Eventually they were able to accomplish the mission, Ren muttering something about how being thick is his greatest weakness. 

"Wow, not even five minutes into our night out and you already let me get in your pants," Satan remarked, a snide grin plastered to his face.

"I swear, you are actually _worse_ than Mammon." That made Satan burst into laughter, throwing his head back before doubling over and gripping his stomach. Ren couldn't help the small smile snaking its way onto his mouth despite wanting to appear annoyed.

"Oh, that was funny," Satan said in-between fits of laughter, wiping tears that had started to form from the outburst. "Alright thunder buns, we have a carnival waiting for us! Let's not waste anymore time, yes?" Satan extended a hand to the door.

Thunder buns. Thunder. Buns.

This was definitely going to be a _night._

-

The Fairgrounds was only a short walk from the academy, incredibly visible due to its flashing bright neon lights. It was generally a desolate, large expanse of dirt where a farmer's market was held every weekend, but the place hardly looked recognizable as a carnival. Laughter, conversation and screams from rollercoasters filled the air. All the lights danced together in Ren's vision that spanned the colors of the rainbow no matter where he looked. He hadn't been to a carnival this lively in a while, almost getting lost in the social vibrancy. Everyone was smiling and having a good time. Couples were lovingly sharing funnel cakes and friend groups were clamoring into photo booths to take pictures.

Satan noticed Ren going wide-eyed, staring at all the festivities there were to partake in. He couldn't help the fond surge that resonated in his chest seeing Ren look like an excited little kid. Ren felt Satan's fingers interlock with his and tug him forward. "Come on, I'll win you a stuffed animal!" he declared as he pulled the boy along.

Satan brought them to a quaint little game booth. It had large black bottles stacked up to form a pyramid of ten that contestants had to knock over with a small green tennis ball. Hardly fair at all, but Satan was determined to impress Ren. 

"I'd like to play," Satan said, handing the booth worker a few Grimm in exchange for a tennis ball. "Stand back, watch a pro at work babe," Satan said as he blew an air kiss to Ren. 

"I hope you miss completely." 

Satan closed his eyes and took a breath, letting his shoulders relax as he prepared to chuck the ball like a baseball serve. He swung his arm back before lurching it forward. The ball struck in-between the bottom two rows and made the entire structure collapse. "Whoo! I did it!" Satan cheered, pumping a fist in the air. The booth worker motioned for him to pick a prize. "What do you want? These giant polar bears are pretty cute, yeah?" Satan grabbed one handing it to Ren. On any normal sized person the oversized polar bear would've consumed half their body. However, Ren was built like a small yeti so the toy still looked relatively small in comparison. 

"Aww, when bae wins you a stuffed polar bear," Ren mocked, rolling his eyes.

"For being my bae, you are so mean to me. You leave my heart battered and bruised," Satan grabbed his chest in feigned woundedness. 

"Who said I was _your_ bae? You're just my pretty side piece baby," Ren teased, placing a kiss on Satan's cheek before patting his chest and continuing to walk, fluffy polar bear in hand. "Come on, let's ride the ferris wheel!" 

Satan stood there for a moment, surprised and stunned from the soft kiss on his cheek. He brought his fingers to the skin there, feeling for the remnants of the sensation. He was used to their casual flirting, but he wasn't used to Ren being _this_ bold. He recognized that familiar surge in his chest from before, feeling it just a bit stronger this time. Never had anyone, much less a human, left him feeling like this. "What a man," he whispered to himself before jogging forward to catch up to his "bae."

They got in line for the ferris wheel, quickly making their way to the front. Ren had to leave his polar bear off to the side before getting on. The ride was huge, probably stretching upwards of about two hundred feet in the air. The seats only fit pairs of two, couples having to squish together side by side. The seat was fairly open, only a large backrest to support riders with a tight lap bar and a seat belt for extra security. It didn't look like the safest thing in the world, but Ren had never heard of someone perishing on a ferris wheel.

The pair huddled into their seat, Satan going in second so he could squeeze in where Ren left space. "Sorry," Ren apologized, "I'm built like Paul Bunyan." Satan chuckled while settling in, the ride worker making sure they were securely strapped in before giving the okay to let them ascend. 

"Are you enjoying the night?" Satan asked, turning to face Ren. He couldn't help but stare at the sight next to him, Ren's jet-black hair moving ever so slightly with the gentle wind that picked up the higher they went. The moonlight perfectly adorned his features, highlighting Ren's soft jawline and making those beautiful brown eyes of his shine just a little brighter.

"Yeah it's been really nice. I haven't been able to go to something like this since I was a kid. I feel nostalgic, thanks for suggesting it," Ren smiled. Satan nodded in response, internally ecstatic Ren was enjoying his time with him. 

As they came to the top of the ferris wheel, the ride suddenly stopped. The sudden motion jerked the two forward and made the seat sway. "Woah. Did the ride just get stuck?" Ren questioned, trying to peer down to see if he could find any clues. He knew better than to trust this rickety looking thing...

"I'm afraid so. Looks like we're stuck up here for a minute," Satan replied. The cool night wind made Ren shudder a bit, making him regret not bringing a jacket. 

"That's unfortunate. Hope it gets fixed soon. Heights aren't my thing. And it's cold."

"At least the view is nice."

"Yeah, the surrounding city is really gorgeous," Ren commented. He looked out at the landscape below him, the Devildom off to their right with the city lights still glowing around it. Although Ren had been initially freaked out by the Devildom and the city at night, most of the straggling creatures left him alone or even wanted to befriend him. 

"I wasn't really talking about the city," Satan's voice countered, bringing Ren out of his city-gazing. Ren turned to face him, Satan's face serious with equally impassioned eyes boring into his.

"Oh you, stop," Ren murmured, off-handedly slapping Satan's chest with back of his hand. Ren crossed his arms before looking back out at the city. Hopefully Satan would drop the flirting for a second, just so they can sit in companionable silence.

"No I mean it, look at me," Satan protested, lightly tugging on Ren's shirt. "Why do you always deflect like that? You're so beautiful Ren."

"Oh my god. Do we _really_ to do this suspended a million feet in the air?" Ren groaned. "I was hoping to just sit in comfortable silence."

"Yes, we're going to talk about it because I don't think they're gonna fix the ride within the next couple minutes. Why do you always deflect like that? Do you not think you're desirable?" Ren had to give it to Satan, he was definitely persistent. 

Ren sighed, uncrossing his arms and turning his head to Satan again. "Look, I appreciate all the little compliments and the casual flirting, but it's hard some days to accept it. I spent most of my teenage years thinking I wasn't attractive so now I'm trying to fix that. It's just been a sudden change of pace with seven brothers all vying for my attention. It's brought up some nasty insecurities I forgot about it, but I'm working through it."

"I've known countless creatures and species across many milleniums, but I've never met anyone or seen anyone like you. Believe me when I say you're beautiful," Satan reassured. Ren looked down, feeling that fiery sensation in his face again from blushing. Satan wouldn't let up though. He cupped Ren's face and brought their eyes back together, Satan tracing Ren's lips with his thumb. "You have the prettiest, poutiest lips."

Ren tried averting his gaze again, but there was nowhere else to look. "You still seemed to be confused about why I think you're beautiful. I'll spell it out for you. Word by word. No more guessing," Satan spoke, voice sincere and purposeful. "Your eyes are so captivating regardless of the fact they're the most common color. It's enthralling how threatening you appear to be because of your neutral face, yet you are one of the kindest people I know. I can never tear my vision away from how your school uniform hugs your thighs so tight. I like that you aren't built like a Greek god. You have the most precious stomach and your jawline rests so softly rather than being sharp and angular. I like the four piercings on your right ear and the three on your left. Your nose ring just adds to your perfection. I could go on Ren, but need I say more?"

Ren was floored and at a loss for words. He felt tears start to prick his eyes from the confession. "Holy shit," he breathed. "Sorry, I don't know why I'm crying. No one's ever said stuff like that before."

"Have I upset you?" Satan queried, feeling his heart ache at the sight of Ren in tears.

"No, no. The opposite actually. I guess I just got overwhelmed," Ren laughed, wiping at his face. The altitude maybe wasn't helping his tear ducts either. "Thanks Satan, I needed that."

"Now do you believe me?" Ren nodded, whispering a "yeah." Satan pressed a delicate kiss to the side of Ren's cheek, grabbed his hands and said, "so pretty." Ren couldn't help the dopey smile that appeared on his face. 

He was looking at Satan now who had his gaze fixated on his lips. Satan held the side of Ren's cheek, softly rubbing behind his ear as the younger hummed at the touch. "Can I?" Satan asked cautiously. Ren knew what he was asking for and he wanted to give it so bad. But as Satan leaned in, Ren put a hand on his chest to stop him.

"Satan wait. I have to tell you something."

"Oh. What is it? Am I moving too quickly? Are you uncomfortable?" 

"No it's not you. I'm just... kind of involved with Mammon and Lucifer? None of us are really, uh, together. I'm involved with them separately, I guess. They both know about each other, but I'm not sure if you're okay with that," Ren admitted. He really felt like a harlot even if the brothers were usually first to express their interest. Initially it was Mammon, then Lucifer and now Satan? Ren was really shaping up to be the Devildom's first-class hooker.

"Well, I do not see them here. In this moment, you are mine." Satan began to lean in again, Ren reciprocating this time around. That was all the confirmation he needed.

Satan placed his hands on Ren's neck, trying to pull him closer despite already being smushed together in the seat. Ren whimpered into the kiss, wishing so badly he could press his body firmly against the other man. The kiss was passionate, needy, hungry. If it wasn't for this damn lap bar and seat belt, Satan swears he would've crawled right into Ren's lap. Their mouths fervently pressed against one another and both parties longed to have closer contact with each other.

Ren broke away for a minute, needing to catch his breath. "Wow. I, uh, wow," he panted. Yes he'd been kissed before, and by Mammon and Lucifer. But it certainly was never like _that._

"I apologize, I was getting too worked up I think," Satan chuckled, rubbing at the back of his head. 

"No worries, but maybe we shouldn't try to devour each other on a ferris wheel."

Ren looked back at the city, noticing small black figures in the distance. They looked like a murder of crows from a distance, but the closer they came into view the bigger they got. "Hey, do you see that?" Ren tapped Satan's shoulder, pointing at the figures in the distance. 

"Hmm?" Satan turned his attention to whatever Ren was staring at. He squinted his eyes, attempting to see if he could make out what it was. That's when he saw it. 

"Oh no."

"What? What is it?" Ren asked again, feeling a lot more anxious at Satan's sudden worry. 

"They're Fiends. Gross little troglodytes that like to terrorize entire towns. They're fairly small, only about two and a half feet in height. Funny enough, they look fairly similar to that Mike Wazowski character from that human movie. Just with wings!" Satan joked. "They probably smelled all the excitement and decided it was time to interrupt. I wonder who didn't place a protection ward over the carnival? Terrible event planner if you ask me."

Ren gulped. "A-are we gonna die?" Vicious Mike Wazowskis with wings hardly sounded like a joke to Ren. 

"Relax Ren. They're not lethal. Maybe to humans, you lot tend to bleed really easy." 

"That does nothing to sedate my fear!" Ren exclaimed. 

"Give me a moment. I'll bust us out of here and call Lucifer to place a ward over the area."

Bust them out?! They were two hundred feet in the air, Ren was quite sure there was nowhere to go. What if he got snatched by one of those things and was never seen again? What an embarrassing way to go...

Satan closed his eyes, inhaling and letting all the sound around him fade to nothing. His horns started to sprout, forming dark black "S" shapes out of the side of his head. He opened his eyes again, the sliver of yellow that encompassed only the bottom now claiming half his iris. 

The Fiends were closing in, a few zooming past the ride which caused their seat to swing. Most of the pack was circling above the carnival. People gathered below to look up at the spectacle in the sky. Shortly after, the pack descended upon the guests. Terrified screams filled the air as carnival goers scurried in every direction to escape the creatures. Most of the creatures didn't try to fatally attack anyone. They picked up a few people with their claws, carried them ten feet in the air and then dropped them on their stomachs. Not exactly the most lethal attack, but surely painful.

"Hold on. Grab my arm," Satan commanded. Ren, still confused, did as he was told anyway. Satan unbuckled the belt that strapped both of them in before easily lifting the lap bar. It was as if he had just pushed a piece of paper. Was this the power of the seven brothers?

Ren had no time to question this as Satan held him against his chest and flung them off the ferris wheel.

"Holy fucking shit!!!" Ren screamed on the way down, desperately clinging to Satan. Was this his grand idea? To fling them off the side of the ferris wheel and hope for the best? He swore Satan was going to get an earful if they survive this...

Ren's fears were immediately calmed when Satan sprouted his wings, making for a softer, much more relaxed landing. Satan dove down, swinging upwards a few feet before hitting planting them safely on the ground. His wings shielded the boy, wrapping the pair in their own little dome for a brief second. "Hi there," Satan smoldered, giving Ren a kiss on the cheek. 

"Don't you act coy with me! You just flung us off the side of a freaking skyscraper! Don't act like that's normal! I swear you brothers are going to give me an ulcer one day!" Ren huffed, crossing his arms and turning away from Satan. He turned around to find Satan's winged protective shield around them, essentially trapping him with the demon. Satan wrapped his arms around Ren's stomach, pressing a small kiss to the back of the taller's neck.

"I will give you notice next time. Forgive me," he apologized. Ren decided to ignore that "next time" because he would rather die off than think about having to jump off a ferris wheel again. 

"You're forgiven. Just... if we can avoid doing jumping off of tall things I would appreciate that." Ren turned back around to hug Satan, the demon's wings returning to his back. He was going to say something else when a Fiend buzzed by and struck him on the shoulder, nearly knocking the two over.

Oh, that was it. First they got stuck in the air, then Satan threw them off of the ride and now an insolent little gremlin wanted to disrupt their moment? Ren was fed up.

"Hey you!" Ren called out, letting go of Satan and establishing eye contact with the goblin. The sickly-green colored brute turned around, hissing at Ren. "You think it's funny to terrorize people? You stupid cretin! You think it's funny to ruin my date, huh?!" he hollered.

"Ren, don't approach it," Satan warned. Ren did not care, he continued to stomp over to the Fiend. The closer he got, the louder the monster hissed. "Ren, I said stop!"

The irritation coursing through Ren's body made him unable to hear anything except the blood pounding in his ears. He threw a punch but the creature quickly dodged and spun around to his backside. Its claws dug into the fabric on his shoulders as it tried to pick him up and carry him away. Ren grabbed at the its legs, tossing it down onto the carnival floor and kicking it like a soccer ball. The Fiend cried out in pain as it scurried away, desperate to flee from its attacker. 

"Ren, watch out!" Satan called out, pointing behind him. Ren spun around and saw another winged-monstrosity flying straight at him. He punched it straight in its large round eye, fist connecting with Fiend to produce a disgusting crunch. The beast screeched in pain as it fell to the floor, claws scraping at the dirt to escape from the assailant.

Satan ran over, placing a hand on Ren's shoulder and turning him around. "Have you gone completely mad? You could've been hurt!" Satan reprimanded.

"We were having a moment and it interrupted it. I think it got what it deserved."

"You can never call us brothers crazy again when you just fist fought two Fiends without receiving so much as a scratch."

"Okay... fair," Ren agreed. In his defense, that thing was pretty rude for interrupting their moment.

"It was kind of hot though."

"Oh god, just call Lucifer ya nasty!" 

-

A short moment after Satan dialed Lucifer asking for help, he arrived on the scene. Lucifer casted something in Latin and soon all the Fiends within the area were scrambling to fly away. "Are you okay Ren?" Lucifer worriedly questioned, checking for signs of scratches or lesions on Ren's body. Ren was sat on a hay bale, humming absentmindedly. 

"Yes, I'm fine Lucifer. Stop worrying."

"You should've seen him," Satan chimed in. "One tried to pick him up but he tossed it on the ground and punted it like a football. He punched another one straight in its eye. Very sexy."

"As sexy as it may have been, it was also incredibly foolish. Please refrain from engaging in active combat with any non-human creatures. I couldn't simply stand to see you hurt," Lucifer said, placing a kiss on Ren's forehead. "I hope no one died. Lords, that paperwork is incredibly bothersome to fill out. I'll have to report this to the Devildom as there were students here tonight. Please, have a safe rest of the night." With that, Lucifer departed although he found it a little difficult to let go of Ren this time. His pride was slightly hurt at the way this human made him feel. He was the all mighty, the all powerful first brother! He was above constantly being concerned for a human's well being.

Except this human was Ren. And he definitely wasn't above it.

"So... this was a date?" Satan sat by Ren on the side of the hay bale.

"I could've gone without the whole being attacked and jumping off of a ferris wheel, but yeah, why not?" Ren shrugged, giggling. He playfully bumped Satan's shoulders, taking his hand and intertwining their fingers. What a night it had been. And it wasn't even ten yet.

"So, what now?" Satan wondered aloud.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you want to call it a night and I can take you back to your dorm?"

"Hmm... Well, I was thinking," Ren whispered, trailing a hand up Satan's thigh to rest on his chest, "we could pick up where we left off on the ferris wheel?" He said the last few words in the shell of Satan's ear. Satan inhaled, feeling desire begin to gather in his chest at Ren's offer. "Show me how pretty you think I am?" Ren encouraged, biting his lip.

"We must retire to the dorms. Before I lose control right here." Satan took Ren's hand as they ran back to the academy, laughing and yelping the whole way. For them, the night was far from over.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> rip to tha polar bear. hope u guys liked this one, i actually liked writing it so TEEHEE


	5. Shenanigans and Shy Sentiments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belphegor plays pranks on two of the brothers (one goes terribly wrong) and Beelzebub is starved for Ren's attention.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning!!! Mildly sexual content so if it makes you uncomfortable, feel free to skip :D but for all my nasties out there TEEHEE

Belphegor and Ren were sitting in the library, preparing for their math exam in a few days. Belphegor was probably the least acquainted with Ren despite having the most classes with him. They'd regularly study together or send each other study playlists, but their relationship was fairly platonic. Sometimes Belphegor would ask Ren questions about human behavior or ask about his relationship with the other brothers. The former was always embarrassing because Belphegor normally resorted to "have you partaken in unholy coitus yet?" They considered each other reasonably close friends (which Belphegor initially detested since he despises humans) but nothing more.

"I absolutely can't stand studying for this stupid class," Belphegor grumbled. He set his pencil down on the table and buried his face in his hands. "I would much rather take a nap."

"Come on sleepyhead, we're almost down with the study guide. Just a few more problems and then you can take a nap," Ren tried coaxing him.

"Or!" Belphegor perked up, "We should play pranks on the other brothers. This place has been _such_ a snooze fest lately. The last interesting thing that happened was that dumb carnival attack. And that was weeks ago." 

"I don't think the brothers would like that. Especially Lucifer. He likes to keep the Devildom as peaceful as possible."

"That's exactly _why_ we should do it! Lucifer's annoyed face is priceless. Besides, you have him wrapped around your finger so I highly doubt he would punish either of us. C'mon, it'll be fun!" Belphegor persisted. It really had been a while since anything exciting or fun took place in or near the Devildom. After the carnival, midterms started taking place the following week so the entire school had pretty much gone on study lockdown. Oh, what the hell. Their exam was still a few days away and they were nearly done with the study guide anyway.

"Alright. Fine," Ren finally replied. "But nothing messy and nothing that can cause bodily harm to anyone, okay?"

"Oh man, the psyche is the best battleground for pranks." Belphegor excitedly clasped his hands together, churning the ideas in his head for what would fit best with Ren's request. 

"I have the perfect idea," Belphegor maniacally grinned. "Follow me."

-

The pair hid behind a bookshelf, Belphegor peeping out of the corner to keep their former table in view. 

"Is there a reason we're hiding behind the bookshelf so close to the table?" Ren inquired. What was required of Belphegor's plan that they couldn't have constructed it at the table? 

"Alright, watch this. I'm gonna place an invisible whoopee cushion there. One of the brothers is gonna claim the seat, but they're in for a loud surprise. It'll be hilarious!" Belphegor explained. " _Whoop-di-doo_ ," he casted, spinning his finger in a circular motion and pointing at the seat. Ren couldn't tell if anything had actually happened, so hopefully the object was placed. 

After a few minutes of waiting Asmodeus sauntered into the library, hips swaying to an inaudible beat. He joyfully walked over to where Belphegor and Ren previously sat, moved the chair back and took a seat. Upon sitting, a loud fart noise echoed through the silent library. Attention from surrounding students was garnered as they all turned toward the obnoxious sound. Asmodeus turned red in the face and clenched his hands into fists. He was probably bedridden with embarrassment as students in the room began to giggle.

Belphegor hid back behind the bookcase as him and Ren desperately tried to hold in their laughter. Strangled wheezes and snorts escaped both their mouths and their knees began to wobble as they clung onto the other for support. Containing their fit was failing miserably as both of them ended up crying out in laughter, followed by many others in the library as well (including the librarians themselves). 

Asmodeus hastily made a beeline for the exit, forcefully pushing the doors open. After he left, the duo fell to the floor, going for a second round of uncontrollable squawks and cackles. "I told you it would be funny!" Belphegor howled as Ren wiped tears that had formed in his eyes. "Alright, on to victim number two!"

-

For their next prank, Belphegor drummed up the ingenious (it's probably incredibly stupid) idea of planting an invisible rope for Lucifer to trip on when he entered his office. The rope would trigger a bucket to fall on Lucifer's head, temporarily blinding him. Belphegor casted another deceiving invisible spell to make things appear as if everything was normal within the room. Though Ren tried to persuade Belphegor that this surely fell under the "bodily harm" section of their agreement, the youngest brother ignored him. "It'll be fine," he insisted.

They hid in an empty locker facing the door, planning to sprint out of the room once the bucket landed on its target. Soon enough, they heard footsteps outside of the office. Lucifer's voice rang clear through the walls as he bid someone a farewell. The door opened and as Lucifer took his first step, he stumbled over the invisible rope. The bucket then fell directly onto the unsuspecting man's head, a disgruntled "oof!" coming from the startled man. 

"What the hell?!" Lucifer growled, tossing the bucket off of his head.

"Run!" Belphegor exclaimed as he burst from the locker and sprinted out of the room. Ren, still stunned from having their cover so suddenly compromised, dashed for the door. It swung shut just before he was able to get past it. He tried for the handle but of course it was locked. Realization hit him as he was left with a very irritated, unhappy Lucifer. 

Ren felt a weight ram him against the door. His left arm was forced behind his back as the other was pinned to the door blocking his escapage. It was Ren's turn to grunt an "oof!" as the position Lucifer forced him into wasn't necessarily painful, but very uncomfortable.

"Don't you know something like this is punishable by expulsion or even _death_?" Lucifer viciously seethed behind Ren's ear. Ren knew he was in serious trouble, but he couldn't help the slightly erotic factor that came into having Lucifer pressed against his backside. "Don't you know what we do here to bad little boys?" the angry demon growled, pressing his groin further into Ren's bottom. Ren felt utterly ashamed at the way his body was reacting, blood rushing between his thighs as a moan escaped his lips.

"A-are you gonna punish me?" Ren timidly asked, forehead still leaning against the door. He was pretty sure Lucifer wasn't that upset and this was all just a display of power to keep him in check. However, he also had inkling Lucifer was doing this to rile him up. 

"You would like that, wouldn't you? I know what's running through that naughty little head of yours. You want to be punished, don't you?" the oldest brother snarled. Ren's arm pinned against the door was let go as Lucifer groped his ass. He leaned back onto Lucifer who seized the moment to attach his lips to the impotent boy's neck. 

Just as soon as he began to corrupt Ren's body with his heinous actions, Lucifer removed himself from Ren. Ren spun around, nearly jumping on Lucifer as he captured his lips in a heated kiss, lusting after his touch. Ren needed the contact, thirsted for it. He wasn't going to let him get away that easy. He pulled Lucifer close to him again, Lucifer noticing the tent in Ren's pants rubbing against his thigh. Lucifer wanted nothing more than to bend Ren over his desk right now, but he knew this wasn't the time nor place.

Lucifer took hold of Ren's arms, pulling away from him completely. "We must stop," he puffed. "I may very well carry out my 'punishment' if we continue. And I'm sure Belphegor thinks I have vaporized you by now." Ren, still half hard, mumbled an "okay" before asking if he could get an apology kiss for totally killing his boner. Lucifer complied, placing a much more wholesome kiss to the younger's lips. "Really though, no more pranks. At least on me. It hurts my pride and belittles my reputation."

Although it pained him to, Lucifer escorted Ren out the door. However, he did so with a goodbye ass slap. "What? You can't fault me for not taking the opportunity to smack such a voluptuous bum," Lucifer defended. 

Ren rolled his eyes before giving Lucifer one last kiss. "All of you brothers are _so_ gross." 

-

"Dude, what happened? I totally expected you to be right by my side but you vanished. You have to tell me!" Belphegor implored. Belphegor had shot Ren a few texts asking if he was alive and to meet up at Ren's dorm if so. The pair had collapsed onto Ren's bed when they reconvened, tired from the day's events. 

"Well, he caught me. But, uhm...," Ren trailed off, feeling his face flush at the remembrance of the encounter. Belphegor took the hint.

"Oh, I see. He was defiling your body wasn't he? He 'punished' you, yeah?" Belphegor winked, nudging Ren's side with his elbow. 

"God, why are you brothers all foul-minded," Ren bemoaned, covering his face with his hands. Had Lucifer not stopped them, Ren was sure they would've gone further. He felt disconcerted by his actions, never before experiencing such an animalistic hunger. Was this the unfortunate side effect of being a late bloomer? To pounce your partners on sight? In his past relationships, Ren's feelings would've flickered away by now. But with every day he spent in the Devildom his affections for the brothers only grew, platonic and romantic. He simultaneously dreaded and rejoiced in the anomalous landscape of his emotions.

"What? It's not a big deal if you had sex with him. Lucifer can be very casual about that stuff," Belphegor stated.

"It's not that. I've just never... well, you know," Ren motioned, flinging one hand forward in hopes Blephegor picked up what he was putting down.

"Ohhh, I see. You're a virgin pure!" Belphegor clarified. Ren smacked his forehead with his hand, wishing so much he could unhear that sentence. 

"Sure, if that's how you want to put it." In high school, Ren never really took the opportunity to "do it" even though it was presented to him many times. Guy or girl, he was always too self-conscious to even think about being naked in front of someone else. Even after high school he still never did more than makeout with a stranger here or there at a party. Everyone else was getting their freak on while little old Ren still wandered around virgin town.

"I think you should talk to Lucifer about it. You two seem to be the most, er, how do I put this," Belphegor puzzled. How could he word this to not make Ren sprint for the hills? He could flat out say "you guys seem like you're always gonna fuck." No, that probably would make Ren find some way to teleport himself back to the human realm.

"Let's just say I think he would be just as interested in taking it a step further. Of course, if you're not ready he will respect that too. He may be my least favorite family member, but I do know him well enough to be sure of that." Ahh, there it was. Ren seemed to be receptive to the advice too, nodding his head and internally doting on what he should do.

"Enough talk, nap time," Belphegor yawned, stretching out his limbs as he turned over to spoon Ren. Finally, a brother that didn't want to be held like a baby.

Ren turned over to let Belphegor cradle him, keeping his eyes open while ideas of how to broach the topic to Lucifer swirled around in his head. He'd definitely have to talk to him soon.

-

Several days had passed since Belphegor and Ren wreaked havoc in the academy. They ended up finishing their math study guide the day after and consequently aced their exam. 

It was Saturday night and Ren was sat on his bed, scrolling through his class' syllabi to check for upcoming deadlines. Luckily, his next set of exams and projects were a few weeks out so there wasn't much to worry about. A knock at his door interrupted his browsing, Ren yelling "I'll be there in a sec!" He figured it was probably just one of the brothers come to string him along on some new endeavor. Ren thought about putting pants on, but decided he was far too comfortable in his little shorts at this time of the night.

He hopped off his bed and opened the door to find Beelzebub standing there. "Oh hey Beelz, what's up?" Beelzebub didn't answer, just stepped into the room and swept Ren up in a bear hug. "Hey buddy, everything okay?" Ren laughed, hugging the large man back as he slightly ruffled his hair. 

Beelzebub closed the door, took Ren by the hand and laid them down on the bed. "I was hoping Mammon wasn't here, I missed you. And he upset me earlier." 

"Aww, I missed you too Beelz. What'd Mammon do though?" Ren couldn't help but feel his heart internally squeal at the way Beelzebub's squishy cheeks puffed up atop his pillows. For someone so fit, he still had an adorable baby face. 

"Well first, he ate my last cinnamon poptart which... very rude. But, we were talking about you and he was bragging about spending so much time with you. He said it was because you guys are really 'emotionally connected.' And then he told me I'm just a dumb ogre who would never be able to connect with anyone. It really upset me," Beelzebub pouted. Yeah, Ren's heart was definitely melting out of his chest and spilling all over the bed at this point. As childlike as he could sound, Beelzebub was generally very forthcoming and mature about his feelings. He never sugarcoated or made you play any guessing games. 

"I'm sorry he said that Beelz, you didn't deserve that. Would you like for me to talk to him about it?" Seriously, why would Mammon say such a thing? Even if he only did it to spite Beelzebub it clearly was more than just a joke to him.

"No, it is okay. I told him he's not allowed to talk to me for a hundred years because he is very rude. I think that'll show him!" Beelzebub said with charming finality. "But... do you think the same thing? That I can't form connections because I'm just a dumb ogre?" Beelzebub looked at Ren with pleading eyes, like his little heart depended on what Ren's answer would be.

"What? Of course not," Ren protested, leaning up on his elbow as he comfortingly stroked Beelzebub's arm. 

"Everyone thinks I'm just some dumb oaf whose only love is food. Yes, I love food, but I have other feelings too y'know. It really makes me sad," Beelzebub despondently shared. 

"Well you're not. You're a sweet guy who is perfectly capable of forming meaningful connections with people. Don't let Mammon get to you, he probably didn't even really mean what he said."

Beelzebub smiled, grabbing at Ren to pull him into his lap while he sat up. Their chests meshed against each other as Ren calmingly ran his fingers through Beelzebub's hair. Beelzebub nuzzled his nose into Ren's neck, sighing at the contact. Their position was quite endearing. Beelzebub's arms were wrapped around Ren's waist while the smaller boy pressed feather-like kisses to Beelzebub's hair.

Beelzebub pulled away slightly, staring at the human above him. "Can we kiss?" he blurted, immediately blushing at the realization of what he just propositioned. Although not the most romantic way to go about it, Ren did appreciate him asking for consent. "I-I'm sorry," Beelzebub stuttered, burying his face in Ren's chest. "I... I know about the others, but I just don't care," he confessed, gingerly tightening his grip around Ren's waist. "You make me, like, happy."

Ren's face hurt from how wide and big he was smiling. He possessed a vast need to kiss Beelzebub and let him know how adorable he is. It consumed his every thought. Ren hastily lowered his mouth onto Beelzebub's, his heart crumbling at the contact. It was unlike anything he'd ever experienced. He felt this unbearable urge to let Beelzebub know how precious he is, how handsome and kind and sensitive he is. No words or actions would ever suffice though.

Their lips moved delicately, creating a rhythm for each other. Ren sandwiched Beelzebub's face between his warm hands while Beelzebub firmly held Ren's sides. The kiss was an entire 180 flip from Ren's previous activities in the week. His affections for Beelzebub had a natural proclivity towards genuine care and innocence rather than intense passion and lust. It was a change of pace Ren enjoyed.

Beelzebub took Ren by his thighs and placed him on his back, hovering over him. He started a trail of kisses down Ren's body, first supplying his efforts at Ren's cheek. He kissed on the side of his jaw, down his neck and pulled up his shirt to show some love to his tummy. He moved further south, nipping and mouthing at Ren's thighs before continuing his journey to his calves and ankles. Once reaching his ankles, Beelzebub made his way back up in reverse order, ending the voyage by pecking Ren's lips. "I want every part of you to feel seen and appreciated," Beelzebub spoke, kissing Ren's mouth some more. Ren felt safe with Beelzebub, like there wouldn't be any possible way he'd judge him. "I like kissing your body. Even though you have kind of a lot of body hair."

"Wow, way to kill the moment Beelz."

"What? I like it! You're not like a hairless baby. I don't think kissing babies is ethical at all," Beelzebub strongly stated. Ren sometimes wondered what went through that head of his... "You're like a cuddly little baby bear!" Oh great, now he was getting compared to furry animals.

"I am not _that_ hairy. And for the record, you are the cuddly little baby bear here mister little spoon," Ren retorted, poking Beezelbub in his chest. Ren knew he'd been slacking a bit on his trimming, but he hadn't let himself go that far. Had he?

"You are correct," Beelzebub agreed, falling next to Ren. "I am little spoon and you are my little backpack, hehe. Can we go to sleep now? I want you to hold me." Oh Beelzebub, the Devildom's token cuddle bug. Ren pretended to be annoyed, muttering a "fine" while Beelzebub let out an excited "yay!" 

Ren threw an arm around Beelzebub, huddling close and pressing loving kisses to the back of his neck. Ren couldn't see it, but Beelzebub had the dopiest smile spreading across his face. That big baby.

Beelzebub wasn't ready to say it, but he knew what he was feeling in his heart. Never had anything other than a delicious quadruple-stacked cheeseburger crossed his mind this much. He found himself unable to develop an appetite some days, wishing he could just drown in Ren's company. He counted down the minutes until he could see Ren again, fostering a new craving for something completely different than food. 

"Ren?" Beelzebub softly said.

"Yes Beelz?"

"Can we kiss some more? I miss you already."

"I'm right here Beelz, how can you be missing me?"

"That doesn't matter. I'll miss you even if we spend a millenium together."

Ren swore he would kiss Beelzebub until his lips fell off.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this chapter warmed my heart hehe, i hope everyone liked it! i'm thinking of making belphegor and ren friends a little bit longer and eventually progressing to lovers later on :D also the next chapter might be mammon or leviathan centered but you didn't hear that from me ;)
> 
> p.s. sidenote i realize i've been using the devildom as a synonym for RAD like a dummy so i'll fix it for the future LMAO


	6. Picnics and Proposals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asmodeus invites Ren to a picnic, Mammon gathers a few of the brothers for an important meeting and Ren engages in an embarrasing conversation with Lucifer.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ok i fully lied, this chapter is not centered around leviathan or mammon at all LMAO. but enjoy for anyone feeling asmo deprived :D also thank you to anyone who is commenting, it really pushes me to keep cranking out chapters and i super appreciate all the kudos thank u guys a ton for the support ♡

Everyone was sat at the dining table, hungrily enjoying their lunch like it was the last meal they'd ever eat. Asmodeus finally had the pleasure of having Ren sit next to him again after Mammon and Beelzebub hogged his attention for days. In typical Asmodeus fashion, he was flirtatiously rubbing Ren's thigh underneath the table and smiling innocently at him like not a thing was happening. Ren shot him a lopsided grin with a mouth full of food, deciding he didn't mind as long as Asmodeus didn't go any farther up. 

Once everyone finished their meal and left the table, Asmodeus followed after Ren. "Rennie, my dear!" he called. He hooked an arm underneath Ren's and interlocked their limbs as they continued to walk. "It has just occurred to me that we have not had quality time in a while. I want to fix that, so we are going on a picnic! No excuses!"

"I don't believe I had much say in the matter anyway," Ren remarked. 

"You would be correct! But do not fret, I only packed light snacks for I knew a big strong man like you would need only a bit more sustenance. You eat nearly as much as Beelz!" Ren wasn't sure if that was a compliment or not. He'd been trying to not overeat and even opting for going to the gym a few times a week. It was just a little difficult to maintain a somewhat healthy lifestyle when the brothers were hellbent on fattening him up. "I wouldn't like it if you had all this muscle" Mammon would say. "You're looking too skinny, want to eat with me?" Beelzebub would offer. God, those brothers were as weird as can be.

"Where is this picnic?" Ren wondered. Last he checked, the Devildom was pretty much a cityscape with very few "picnic-y" areas. 

"There's a secret little hill in the academy, perfect for reading a riveting novel underneath a shaded area with an apple. Or in our case, perfect for a picnic!" Asmodeus excitedly announced. The man could hardly contain his excited squealing as they walked through the academy to the spot he mentioned. It was no secret he'd been fond of Ren since day one, immediately entranced by his beauty. Ren never really understood why, but he'd begun to stop questioning why people (or demons) thought he was attractive.

"We're almost there! But close your eyes, I want it to be a surprise," Asmodeus instructed. Ren obediently closed his eyes, figuring it better not to argue. "And no peeking." Asmodeus unlinked their arms as he took a hold of Ren's hand. Ren was hoping Asmodeus was being truthful about where he was taking him. Although he wouldn't mind _too_ much if Asmodeus jumped his bones in some hidden corner of the academy, he'd like the surprise factor to be eliminated.

It sounded like they walked down a hallway before stopping in front of a door, Asmodeus opening it and leading Ren through. Ren felt cement turn to grass upon entering through the door. "Open your eyes now."

Ren was met with an abundantly blue sky, not a cloud to be seen for miles. Lush, green grass filled the stretch of land and there was a cobblestone path leading up to a hill. Atop the hill a singular tree that provided a shaded area stood, proud and tall. Huh, just like Asmodeus said. Ren didn't think there would literally be a tree with a shaded area, but here he is, looking at something straight out of a Rip Van Winkle story. He had to admit, it was a beautiful section of the school. Strange that it seemed as if no one ever came here though.

"This place is beautiful Asmo, why doesn't anyone ever come here?" 

"Your guess is as good as mine. Come on, let's sit underneath the tree." Asmodeus once again took Ren by the hand and led him up the cobblestone path. Where the hill flattened out beneath the tree, a lime green and pink checkered sheet laid. A petite picnic basket sat to the upper corner of the sheet and a small speaker rested opposite. "I thought you may enjoy some soft music while we relax."

"Wow, this is really something Asmo. You put a lot of thought into this. Thank you," Ren said, pulling Asmodeus in for a hug. Asmodeus caught a whiff of Ren's delightfully potent deodorant, hoping one day he could spent all day in the man's embrace. 

"Oh, you flatter me. My vanity simply can't stand it!" 

They sat down on the sheet, Ren laying flat on his back while Asmodeus set out a plate for him and queued soft folk music from his D.D.D. Ren looked up at the sky, falling in love with the immensity at which baby blue stretched on endlessly. He'd always loved the sky, jealous of the birds who were able to take flight and escape the ground whenever they felt like it. There was all that unoccupied space and he dreamed of being able to take up some of it. He felt a little silly, yearning to be a bird in the sky. But sometimes things on the ground weren't always that great. 

"Chocolate covered strawberry my dear?" Asmodeus held the tasty fruit right above Ren's mouth, interrupting him from his daydreaming. Ren took a mental note of how much Asmodeus really took time to prepare all this. He cut the top off the strawberry to make it readily eatable in a single bite. Not a single one of the grapes he laid out on the plate seemed squishy either, all full and bulbous.

"Mmm, yes please." Asmodeus lowered the strawberry, Ren taking a hearty bite. He pretended to nibble on Asmodeus's fingers to which the demon squeaked, retracting his hands instantly. "Gotcha," Ren teased. Asmodeus rolled his eyes in mock displeasure. He shifted to lay next to Ren but leaned on his elbow to still feed him. The next time Asmodeus went to feed him a grape, Ren fully sucked the demon's finger into his mouth. "Tasty," he laughed.

"My little Ren, what's gotten into you lately? So flirty, you're almost as bad as me. And I can be quite naughty."

"I'm not sure. I've just been feeling a little bit more content with myself lately. Guess that's transferred over into my flirting. Ooh, wait. I love this song," Ren interjected and sat up, recognizing the beginning piano chords of Bluebird by Sara Bareilles. "Word came through in a letter," he sang in a soft baritone. "One of us changing our minds." This had been a staple for Ren's rainy day playlist and was overall one of his favorite songs. He had to give kudos to Asmodeus for having such good taste.

Asmodeus listened intently, observing Ren's vocal agility in the chorus of the song and the seamless transitions of his register changes. It was if Asmodeus wasn't even there, just Ren and the music as he sang effortlessly. 

The song came to a close after a few minutes, Asmodeus clapping his hands. "Why didn't I know you could sing? And your voice, my stars! It's so rich and bass-y, yet you have this light and wonderously nasal tone? I've never heard anything like it," he fawned. For a human, Ren was just full of surprises. Incomparable beauty and a voice like something from the celestial realm?

"Oh, stop. My voice isn't anything special. I didn't know you were musically inclined though Asmo."

"'Not special' my fiery burning ass! Your voice is magnificent!" Asmodeus insisted, making Ren blush. "And, well I do suppose I have a natural inclination to admire beautiful things. Music just happens to fall into that category as well. It can be so romantic and purposeful, but at the same time so lewd and sensual. Tell me my Rennie, what do you like to listen to?" Asmodeus snuggled up to him again, tracing circles with his finger on Ren's chest.

Ren hummed, trying to think of everything he'd downloaded on his phone. "Well, it ranges," he concluded. "Sometimes I want to listen to ballads, but other times I'll listen to old Avril Lavigne or maybe SZA. All really depends." 

"I see, a man of many tastes. Have I told you that I like _versatility_?" Ren didn't think they were talking about music anymore, if the way Asmodeus looked at him was any clue. Maybe he should play along? It was quite a sight to see Asmodeus get worked up so quickly. Screw it.

"Oh really? Do you know I like when things are a little more _subdued,_ under my _control_?" Ren asserted, letting a hand snake its way to the curve of Asmodeus' lower back. The smaller man practically whimpered at the contact, grabbing a fistful of Ren's uniform shirt and tugging his face close.

"I'm tired of games. I want you, never have I desired something this much in so long," Asmodeus admitted, lips centimeters from Ren's. Hot, unbridled lust flooded his body and devoured his every thought. Asmodeus had enjoyed a plethora of worldly pleasures throughout his lifetime and nearly always got what he chased after. But for some reason, Ren always seemed just ever so slightly out of reach. With Ren right in front of him, evidently buying into his advancements, how was he not supposed to indulge himself? 

"If you want me, you already have me." That was all the confirmation Asmodeus needed as he laid siege upon Ren's lips. His movements weren't meticulous, calculated or passionate. A carnal and innate instinct clouded his mind as he vigorously kissed Ren. He filthily moaned against Ren's mouth, climbing into his lap as he rutted against the other's body. Ren felt the already straining bulge in Asmodeus's pants press against his stomach as he desperately kissed him, becoming a little worked up himself. Perhaps they were moving too fast?

"Asmo wait," Ren faltered, breaking away from their heated makeout. Asmodeus stared down at him in apparent disappointment, pouting while he missed the feeling of Ren's mouth on his. 

"What is it my dear? We were just beginning to have fun."

"I know, but I'm not sure I'm ready to do more than just kiss. I know we're both worked up, trust me I feel it. But I know you want... a lot more. I just don't think I'm prepared for it." Ren was being honest, he didn't even think he was ready with Lucifer and they seemed the most likely to take it all the way.

Asmodeus sighed, removing himself from Ren's lap as he (sadly) let himself soften in his pants. "Well if you're going to cockblock me like this, I fully expect you to romantically kiss me silly!" he demanded. Ren fully acquiesced, holding Asmodeus's cheek as he tenderly pressed a kiss to his mouth. 

"Does that satisfy you?"

"You could never adequately satiate my hunger for you my loveliest Ren. But...," Asmodeus trailed off, looking off to the side in a moment of perturbation. "I have a question for you."

"What is it?" Ren asked, helping himself to some of the fruits still in the picnic basket.

"A comment was brought to my attention the other day. Satan told me about the night you two shared at the carnival. When he finished, he then proceeded to tell me I was not masculine enough for you and that you would never look my way because of it. I typically take what he says with a grain of salt, that spiteful buffoon. But it's not his opinion I care about, it's yours. Gosh, this is quite embarrassing, but, er, uh," Asmodeus stumbled over his words, frustratedly swiping his bangs away from his face. "I believe what I'm trying to ask you is if you think that is true. Am I... too much, too flamboyant for you?" 

For once, Asmodeus fully dropped his over-the-top persona, breaking the barrier. The mask had been stripped away and he revealed the insecurity he still carried with him from his time as a celestial. As shameless and charming as he could be, deep down Asmodeus still wanted to be loved and cared for. 

"I've never really thought about it to be honest Asmo. I don't care that you're more 'feminine' or whatever dumb thing Satan tried to imply. I like how bold you can be, so unabashed at showing interest. I know you're the Avatar of Lust, so being forward about what you want is your thing. I don't mind though, I like all the touching and sometimes inappropriate comments. Keeps me on my toes. And what I like most of all," Ren continued, trailing a finger from Asmodeus' jawline to his lips, "are these pretty little things right here." Ren placed a sweet kiss to Asmodeus' lips, the fallen angel's cheeks being dusted with a light red hue. 

"They may call me the great charmer, but they've clearly never met you, my Ren." Asmodeus helped himself to one more serving of Ren's delightful kisses, laying beside him while Ren followed suit. Asmodeus rested an arm over Ren's chest, snuggling in close to him. "Mmm, how about we rest for a moment?" he suggested, already beginning to close his eyes.

"I wouldn't mind that," Ren said. He tucked an arm behind his head and closed his eyes, letting the pretty blue sky fade from his vision. 

\- 

A few days later Ren was leaving his anthropology class, bidding Belphegor farewell until they'd see each other again. His D.D.D. chirped a few times in his pocket, one of the brothers probably trying to get his attention. He opened it up to find Mammon had created a group message with him, Beelzebub and Lucifer.

_Mammon: Emergency meeting in my room. No questions!_

Ren guessed he'd better hurry, that was his last class for the day anyway. He briskly walked to Mammon's door, not bothering to knock as he barged in. All the summoned brothers were already present in the room. 

"Ren! Hey, you're just in time!" Mammon rushed over to him, giving him a welcoming hug.

"Yeah I got the text, what's going on? Is everything okay?" Ren sincerely hoped it wasn't anything too life threatening. If he was being honest, fist-fighting two fiends was enough action for the rest of the time he was here in the Devildom. 

"Okay," Mammon nervously breathed, taking a seat on his bed. "I've come up with an idea. And before anyone says anything, I know they aren't always great, but I think this one is good. What if... us four formed a band? Like a punk band!" he excitedly announced. Lucifer, Beelzebub and Ren all looked at each before turning their attention back to Mammon. 

"I'm afraid my duties within the academy keep me very busy Mammon. I wouldn't be able to allocate enough time for practices," Lucifer regretfully spoke. Ren could tell the idea actually interested him however. It was surprising to see Lucifer even humor one of Mammon's theatrics. "And besides, who would play what instrument?"

"Oh, c'mon Luci! You know Diavolo overloads you, so tell him to lay off! As for who does what, that's easy. You would play guitar with me on bass. Beelzebub would play the drums and our wonderful Ren would be the lead singer! Asmo would just become a stage hog, Belphegor would sleep through every practice and quite frankly Satan has a bad attitude. I called you all here for a reason." 

"How do you even know I can sing?" Ren pondered aloud. He tried not to make too much of a ruckus in the shower... but perhaps he wasn't as quiet as he thought. The final chorus of Avril Lavigne's "I'm With You" just deserved to be shouted at the top of one's lungs, did it not?

"Asmo may or may not have let it slip you can sing really well. Also, your shower jam sessions aren't as reserved as you think. C'mon Rennn," Mammon whined. Asmodeus, he should've known. Not that Ren minded, but he probably blabbed to everyone Ren serenaded him underneath a beautiful ocean blue sky, hair gently blowing in the wind as they romantically fed each other food. Something drummed up in classic Asmodeus form. He also found it a tad mortifying Mammon positively heard him yelling at the top of his lungs once or twice (it was way more than once or twice).

"Will there be pizza at every practice?" Beelzebub cut in.

"Yes Beelz, there will be pizza at every practice," Mammon confirmed.

"Then I would like to be in it." Oh, the simple mind of an always famished Beelzebub.

Mammon looked expectantly at Ren, begging with his eyes. Would it really hurt to be part of a punk band? It'd always seemed pretty cool to Ren, to be underneath those stage lights with adoring fans screaming for them in the crowd. If he was being honest, he missed singing a lot too. 

"Oh, fine. I think it would be fun anyways," Ren gave in. Mammon happily cheered, clasping his hands together. All that was left was for Lucifer to agree.

Lucifer furrowed his brow, contemplating the best course of action. Although his punishments could be cruel, he would do nearly anything for his brothers. He'd never admit it, but he also had a soft spot for Mammon. 

"I... presume that I may be able to let Diavolo know I have another unavoidable commitment coming up," Lucifer finally answered. Mammon happily cheered, ecstatic one of his ideas was finally followed through. It was secretly a ploy just to spend a little more time with Ren, but if they had fun and made some Grimm on the side so be it. 

"Whoo! Okay, I'll update you guys on when practices will be. This concludes our meeting. I now have to go gamble," Mammon announced. When they exited the room, Beelzebub decided to go straight to the kitchen. After all, it was time for his second lunch. Mammon blazed a direct path to whatever debt-inducing scheme he'd gotten himself into. Hopefully something not involving witches. 

Lucifer and Ren were left alone outside of Mammon's room. Flashbacks to the conversation Ren had with Belphegor ran through his mind. They _were_ alone, so it was as good a time as any to bring it up. But what if Lucifer thought it was weird? Or what if he didn't like how inexperienced Ren was? What if Lucifer found him repulsive? What if he thought it wildly inappropriate and banished him from the academy or the entire Devildom?

Okay, Ren's mind was getting out of control now. Enough with drumming up horribly unrealistic scenarios. 

"Ren, is something troubling you?" Lucifer concernedly asked, coming up behind Ren and placing a comforting hand on the small of his back.

"What? Oh, uh, yeah. I've been, uhm, meaning to talk to you and, uh, uhhh..." 

"It's okay. Take your t-"

"I wanna have sex with you!" Ren blurted out. Nice, very subtle Ren. 

His face immediately turned bright red as Lucifer let a surprised "oh" drop from his mouth. If only Asmodeus could see Ren The Great Charmer now, completely destroyed from a singular confession. This probably wasn't the way Belphegor recommended they talk about it, but there was no going back now.

"I don't mean like, right now or anything. But, soon. Because I think I'm ready. To do that. With you. If you want," he clarified. Wow, this really couldn't have gone any worse. Lucifer stared at him with an unreadable expression, eyes boring into him. He took a hold of Ren's chin, thumb pressed underneath his lip as he lovingly kissed him. He stroked the sides of Ren's hair when he pulled away, Lucifer admiring the sight in front of him. 

"Whenever you want, I'll wait for you. In the meantime, don't think too much about it. This will be on your terms." Internally, while he would honor it if Ren wished to wait a little longer, he hoped it would be sooner rather than later. It was an enticing offer and a large part of his ego was fed at the thought Ren wanted to lay with him first among all the other brothers. Never would have Lucifer thought a human could stir up these feelings within him.

Ren nodded, giddily smiling as he sneaked another kiss onto Lucifer's cheek. "Thanks Lucifer. But this was incredibly embarrassing. So I'm gonna pretend like it didn't happen."

Laughter wracked Lucifer's body, throwing his head back and placing a hand on his chest. Ren was, without a doubt, the most captivating yet dorky human he'd ever met. And he couldn't wait until they'd seal the deal.

(But really if it was up to Lucifer, he'd have taken Ren right there in that hallway.)

-


	7. Diavolo's Diabolical Demand

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Diavolo has a special request for Ren.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello everyone! sorry this one took a lot longer to get out, it's a bit longer than the others but was fun to write. enjoy :D

"You are probably wondering why I've invited you here," Diavolo said as he motioned for Ren to take a seat in front of his desk. Ren had been horribly nervous the whole walk here. It wasn't often _the_ Lord Diavolo of the academy messaged you to urgently meet him in his office. He did say in the text that it wasn't anything that serious, so that put Ren's mind at ease somewhat. Still, he had a feeling he wasn't going to exactly like whatever Diavolo had planned to say to him.

"You're nearing the beginning of your fifth month here at the academy, close to the halfway point of the exchange program. Throughout your short time here, I've noticed the brothers have certainly warmed up to you. All seven of them in fact. I need one specific favor. Just say 'I love you' to each brother and write down their reaction afterwards. That is all." ...What? This is what Diavolo called Ren here for? This academy really could not get any stranger. What was the point of this anyway? 

"I mean no offense, uh, sir Diavolo. But, what exactly is the purpose of this?" Perhaps... it would tie in to that research Lucifer had conducted with Ren a while ago? The last time he'd said those words was to his dad. And that was a couple of years ago. Ren felt reluctant saying those words to anyone, but if he was being forced to it's not like he would be lying to the brothers. Just a little underprepared.

"All will be revealed when you complete this special assignment. I will give you one week starting tomorrow, one day for each brother. I hope you do not disappoint me, Ren. You are, after all, the star at the academy. You are dismissed," Diavolo closed. 

Ren, albeit even more confused, quickly left the room. The star pupil? Saying 'I love you?' Confusion fused with anxiety to form a tide of new questions. He'd never said those words to any of them before and now he was supposed to suddenly say it to every single one of them? What if none of them felt the same way, or what if they thought that was too far? Are demons capable of that emotion? Ren had suspended all judgement of character based upon species since arriving, but he'd never heard of a demon loving another person. Much less a human! Seriously, is Diavolo out of his mind?

How would he even approach each brother? After his last "talk" with Lucifer, Ren wasn't exactly the smoothest person of all time. Sure, he could put on a big flirting game, but admitting any type of romantic or sexual feelings and it's game over. And from the sound of it, Diavolo wasn't giving him much of a choice. He basically _had_ to do it.

Oh man, this was going to be a long week.

-

The next day, after their math class, Belphegor and Ren began making their way to the dining hall for lunch. The pair packed up their belongings while yesterday's conversation with Diavolo played through Ren's head. _All will be revealed when you complete this special assignment._ What the hell did that even mean? Despite his confusion, Ren decided it was as good a time as any to get the ball rolling for the assignment.

Upon exiting the classroom, Ren pulled Belphegor aside. "Hey, I kind of wanted to tell you something." Oh god, here it goes. Ren prayed and hoped, to whatever higher being that would be telepathically listening, that this would go well. He didn't know how he would handle the rest of this "assignment" if Belphegor reacted badly.

"I've been thinking. Uh, we've been spending a lot of time together Belphie. And I just wanted to let you know, that, uh, I love you. Dude," Ren awkwardly finished, scratching the back of his head while familiar discomfort singed at his face. Belphegor stood there, looking a little spaced out as he processed the information.

Belphegor opened up his arms and hugged Ren, warmly rubbing at his back. "Aww, how sweet. I love you too man. You're so cute when you're nervous. Look at that reddened face!" Belphegor tormented him, grabbing at Ren's cheeks as he stretched them.

"God Belphie, you're embarrassing me," Ren swatted at Belphegor's hands. He nudged his pestilent friend away from him. Belphegor just snickered. 

"What? You can't fault me for saying my best friend is such a _cuuuuutie pie_!" Belphegor squealed, making his voice high pitched like he was talking to a baby. He went for another round at Ren's cheeks, squishing and grabbing the supple skin there. Ren suffered through it, although he wished he could melt into the floor in that very moment.

If this was as bad as it could get, Ren would be able to push through. Hopefully with less squealing and less cheek pinching. Ren's skin (and pride) could only take so much. 

-

After dinner the next day, Ren invited Beelzebub up to his room. Of course Beelzebub joyfully agreed and brought snacks in case Ren would be hungry later. They were mainly for Beelezbub though. They sat on Ren's bed, Beelzebub dropping off the snacks on a nearby desk. 

"Hey Beelzebub, I kinda wanted to tell you something important," Ren said, turning to face the bigger man. 

"Oh, okay. What is it?" Beelzebub perked up, slipping a hand on Ren's.

"I've been here for a while now, here at the academy. Sometimes I think you feel it too. But I just wanted to, uh, you know... let you know. That, uhm, I love you, Beelz." The second time around didn't make it any easier. Ren felt just as embarrassed, his gaze faltered to the mattress and his face turned just as red like when he told Belphegor. 

Ren heard no response from Beelzebub, making his anxiety spike. "Beelz?" He looked up to find Beelzebub's eyes welling with tears.

"D-do you mean it?" he sniffled, wiping at his eyes. 

"Oh no, did I upset you Beelzebub? I'm sorry I didn't mean to!" Ren quickly apologized. Maybe it was too soon and he'd scared him? But then again, what else scares Beelzebub aside from an empty refrigerator?

"No I'm not upset. I think I just got really happy and it made me cry," Beelzebub's voice trembled as he continued wiping at his eyes. "I love you too Ren." Beelzebub had never made much room in his heart for anything other than bowls of ramen and deluxe cheeseburgers. Not until little ol' Ren stumbled through the doors of the academy. Sometimes he became so frustrated, wondering what that nagging feeling in his chest was. One talk with Diavolo and he'd come to a world shattering conclusion. 

He pulled Ren in for a hug, letting the boy's head rest on the wide expanse of Beelzebub's chest while his fingers carded through Ren's hair. "I thought it would be too soon if I said it. I'm glad you told me though. It made me really happy," Beelzebub's voice came softly, pulling away from their embrace to place a chaste kiss on Ren's lips. Ren just smiled in return, feeling a little peppy from the superb outcome of the situation. Even though Beelzebub initially scared him with eyes full of tears, Ren couldn't think of it playing out any better.

Maybe this assignment was forcing Ren to face a few things, things he kind of already knew...

He'd have time to mull over that later. For now, two down, five more to go.

-

Asmodeus and Ren were tucked away in a secret nook in the school's massive library. They fed each other snacks as it had become a part of their normal hangout. They sat on a large window sill overlooking a section of the academy. Ren swears since he's arrived in the Devildom he's grown another stomach, in no small part to Asmodeus and Beelzebub in particular. 

"So, my loveliest Ren. Why have you so spontaneously commanded my attention in the middle of the week? You're usually whisked away by whatever buffoonery Mammon sucks you into or occupied in Lucifer's quarters. To what do I owe this special occasion?" Asmodeus questioned, drumming his fingers against his chin while dreamily gazing at the man in front of him.

"Oh, yeah. I, uh, wanted to tell you something Asmo. Uhm... wow, I didn't think it would be this hard." Ren felt himself getting jittery again, like his heart was racing a million miles per minute without any way to control it. He'd hoped the "third time's the charm" trick would help, especially in a realm belonging to demons. But alas, he was merely a skittish little human incapable of saying three words. 

"Okay, I'm just gonna say it," Ren began again, balling his hands into fists on his thighs. "I love you, Asmodeus."

Like the past two brothers, there was initially no response. He just stared at Ren with an unreadable expression, cogs working in his brain to compute what was just said to him.

Suddenly, Asmodeus harshly gripped Ren's uniform and tugged him forward. His lips rested near Ren's ear, breath warm and ticklish. "You are _very_ lucky we are in a public setting and this window sill does not offer any ample amount of space so I can show you how _much_ I love you," Asmodeus fiercely whispered. He rubbed a hand suggestively up and down Ren's thigh before he roughly pulled at his hair, pulling his face back so he could crash his mouth onto Ren's. Ren moaned at the sensation of being manhandled, remembering Asmodeus' comment from their picnic about liking versatility. 

Asmodeus fisted Ren's hair the entire time they kissed, tightening his grip the more needy and heated their kiss got. Thankfully they were in a secluded section so no receptionist could complain about their public indecency. Eventually, Asmodeus pulled away, feeling his natural inclination crawling its way to the surface.

"My love, I would like to continue this another time. But I must say, my affections for you have only increased tenfold. Forgive me if I am especially demanding of your attention in the following weeks. You have sparked... an emotion I never thought I could harbor. For now, I believe you have stirred a rather urgent problem in my pants I must take care of. See you soon, my Rennie." Asmodeus pressed a final kiss to Ren's mouth, taking off his coat to hang it in front of his crotch as he hastily made for the exit.

That went... well?

-

Satan and Ren were holed up in the fourth eldest's room, shoulder to shoulder on Satan's bed as they watched Witchblade. Ren, who'd already seen and rewatched the anime seven times, was clearing up any confusion Satan had as each episode played out. Ren pretty much begged the other to watch it with him, claiming it was one of his all time favorite shows in general. Satan thought it to be a frivolous program, but after two episodes he could not find it in him to stop watching.. It was definitely a good way to calm Ren's nerves and could serve as a segue into his assignment. 

So far, he'd confronted Belphegor, Beelzebub and Asmodeus. After each occurrence he logged into his D.D.D. how the brothers reacted. Although Belphegor said it back, he basically made fun of Ren and would not stop grabbing his cheeks for the remainder of the time they hung out. Beelzebub cried (which made Ren's heart grow even fonder of him) and asked if he really meant it. Asmodeus had gotten... horny? Ren couldn't figure out another way to describe his reaction. While every brother had returned the expression, their reactions had all varied greatly. The uncertainty of how Satan would react placed the most stress on Ren's mind.

Ren grabbed the remote, pausing the show and turning to Satan. "Hey, I don't want to interrupt the show. Especially because you seem to be actually enjoying it, but I have to tell you something. It's important to me." Ren's tone had the slightest hint of finality in it, making Satan worriedly raise his eyebrows. 

"Wait, before you continue Ren. I... I want to tell you something too. If I say what I need to first, I think this will go better." Satan picked at his pants, a nervous tick. "So, I've been sort of letting myself sit with this for a while. I've tried every other possible explanation for this, but I always reach the same answer. After the carnival, I felt it. I knew it then, and I tried to ignore it but I can't anymore. What else are you supposed to call it when someone fills your every waking thought, is the first thing you think about in the morning and the last thing before you fall asleep? I know it now. I love you, Ren. I'm just not sure if you feel the same way."

Now _that_ Ren didn't expect. Satan beat him to it. He thought maybe he'd respond with an "I'm not ready to say it yet, but I feel it" or something similar. But not to profess... _that._ There really was no predicting how any of them would react, he'd be going in blind the next three times he did this too.

Ren covered Satan's hand with his own, leaning over to press a kiss to his cheek. "You beat me to it. I love you too." It was a pretty elementary response, but Satan took it and ran. He deftly hopped into Ren's lap and captured his lips in an ardent kiss. 

"To be truthfully honest, I didn't think you would say it," Satan doubted, pulling away from the kiss but remaining in Ren's lap. "I hate how you reduce me to a bumbling, sappy fool. But I don't want anyone else to make me feel this way."

"Why wouldn't I say it?" 

"You seem more inclined to have those feelings for Beelzebub, or Lucifer. I know our relationship is a bit different, not inherently fueled by a blazing sexual passion constantly on the verge of combustion, or linked together by a deep emotional bond. I know you have those things with them, I've accepted it. Ours is just different, built on quality time. I let my confidence falter with meaningless insecurities. I know now how you feel, I won't question it anymore."

Ren kissed Satan again, appreciating how vulnerable he was allowing himself to be in front of him. "I love when you're confident and open like this. Very sexy," Ren said, hands finding their way to Satan's hips.

"Oh really? You think I'm... sexy?" Satan entreated. Satan let a hesitant grin spread across his face, hands resting on Ren's shoulders. He'd never been the most sexually appealing one, Asmodeus usually claiming that title with Lucifer coming in second. He usually preferred a book as company, but he'd spend an eternity with Ren if possible.

"Want me to show how sexy I think you are?" Ren petitioned, grabbing Satan's ass with both hands and squeezing.

"Mmm, please do."

-

"C'mon Ren, his weak spot is on his back! Circle around so I can distract him long enough for you to make the shot," Leviathan directed, furiously pressing buttons on his controller. Leviathan's eyes narrowed in concentration as he leaned forward to fully immerse himself in his mission.

Ren, still struggling to get a hold of how the game operates, did as he was told. If this was only level two he couldn't fathom how difficult the rest of the game was. Though, it probably didn't help that they were playing on Insanity mode. 

Ren stealthily snuck behind the boss while Leviathan purposely misfired a few shots to get its attention. As soon as he was able to, the glowing orange weak spot appeared to Ren's character and he speedily aimed his weapon to fire. A few well placed shots and the boss was finished, loot remaining in its absence. 

"Yes!" Leviathan whooped, raising a fisted controller in victory. "Nice job Ren! In no time, you might be able to match up to me. Doubt it though, I _am_ the best after all." Ren rolled his eyes, letting Leviathan dream he's the best at everything. "I think we can pause here if you want. You told me you had something to say to me," Leviathan reminded.

"Oh, uh, y-yeah," Ren stuttered, completely forgetting the reason he was here in the first place. If there was any one of the brothers Ren was most worried about, it was Leviathan. Not that he thought Leviathan would be upset or anything, but they'd only teased the idea of being more than friends. They kissed once or twice after tough raiding battles in Leviathan's favorite game to which he apologized both times, claiming he just "got caught up in the moment" and "didn't mean to pull Ren by the shirt into a burningly passionate kiss." Oh Leviathan, the weirdest of them all.

The third oldest had the most trouble coming to terms that Ren was essentially being shared between all seven of them, his jealousy always taking precedence over how he truly felt. Ren admitted to him, he felt like the academy's number one harlot and Leviathan jokingly agreed. Ren's relationship with him was probably the most undefined, hell his relationship with nearly every brother was undefined. But where he and Leviathan stood romantically was up in the air. Do they stay good friends, or take it to the next level?

"I know this is a little... out of the blue, and it's sort of hard for me to say. But, uh, uhm... Okay, here. Give me your hands. I think it'll be easier that way." Leviathan gave him a puzzled look, skeptically laying his hands flat on Ren's palms. Though Leviathan liked the contact and the way Ren's thumbs rubbed his skin (he always liked when Ren touched him), Ren's own tentativeness concerned him. What had him so timid?

"Okay, that makes me feel better. Uhm, Leviathan... I know we've beaten around the bush, and, uh, stuff. And some things happened. But, I know what I'm feeling. I think it's unfair to hide it from you anymore. I... I love you." Leviathan's eyes went wide, mouth agape as he slightly turned his face away from Ren. 

"W-what do you mean? Like, as a friend? Or... or like _that_?" Leviathan shyly asked. His cheeks were dusted red, ears holding the same hue. He'd only ever loved The Tale of the Seven Lords or whatever anime character he was into at the time. So to have Ren here, admitting he loves him, specifically _him,_ and not just his video games? It made his mind spiral, his repressed emotions begging to be released.

"Whichever one you want. I just love you."

"Then I choose the second one." Leviathan looked up at Ren, offering a bashful smile. "I think I love you too. I know I've been... resistant to the idea of us becoming more, but it's eating me up. Everytime I play a video game I just wish you were co-oping it with me. Or I always think 'Ren would like this anime.' That basically means I'm smitten, right? I'm sorry it's taken me this long to realize it. I always say Mammon's the dumb one... but I guess I can be a blond sometimes too. Mammon's still the dumbest though." The pair laughed, Ren humorously pushing at Leviathan's shoulder. 

Yup, definitely taking it to the next level.

-

"Did you invite me up here for nefarious purposes? You can just tell me if you wanna get nasty Ren," Mammon winked, grabbing a hold of Ren's butt with both of his hands. They were lying in Ren's bed, talking about anything and everything that came up. Ren had a leg tossed over Mammon's, basically swallowing half of the smaller demon's body. Truth be told, Mammon was absolutely starved for Ren's attention. Yes, they had band practice tomorrow (that Mammon last minute scheduled) and Mammon could easily see him then, but all the time in the universe with Ren would never feel like enough.

"You are seriously the grossest person I have ever met," Ren retorted, untangling their limbs to sit up. 

"Baby I know you love it," Mammon said snidely, sitting up too to trace a hand on the inside of Ren's thigh, lips attaching themselves to his neck. Ren squirmed, realizing it would be very difficult to conceal a boner in the tiny shorts he was wearing. Of course, Mammon insisted he wear them. "Your legs are too beautiful a thing to cover up" Mammon swore. It might've been a mistake though. He'd been making slimy comments all night, much more than usual. 

"Wait, Mammon," Ren disrupted them, pushing against Mammon's chest. "It's not that I don't want to, I just have something important I wanted to tell you. It's kind of why I invited you tonight."

"Oh, sounds serious. Is everything okay babe?" Mammon's touching turned from sensuous to delicate, soothingly brushing his fingertips on Ren's thigh. The gesture helped to ease Ren's ever-present nerves. Seriously, sixth time and it was like he hadn't been doing this all week. 

"Yeah, nothing's wrong. I just thought I should tell you. We've gotten close you know, really close. You spend many nights here and you offer to pay for my food more than you don't. I honestly think I would hate it if I came back to an empty room some nights. But you're here, letting yourself in and waiting until I'm back too. So, I've been thinking... about us. About how you make me feel. And... yeah. I love you Mammon."

Mammon's little touches stopped, his hand resting on Ren's thigh. "Do you... are you like... you're not shitting me? This isn't some test right?" It was a precaution, a safeguard against his heart. Mammon had loved before, but not like this. Not ever in his whole existence. He was pretty much set on marrying himself to Grimm until Ren came along and flipped everything on its head. It was a reflex, to make sure this wasn't a joke. He didn't know if he could take it being a joke.

"What? No! Of course not, I wouldn't say something like that to you if I didn't mean i-" 

Ren's words were cut off by Mammon smashing their lips together. His hands shaked as they cupped Ren's cheeks, holding his face like it was the last thing Mammon would ever be able to do. "I love you I love you I love you I love you I love you," Mammon declared in between bouts of assaulting Ren's face with diligent kisses. "I wanted to say that months ago, but I knew it would be too soon. You have no idea what you do to me. To think, The Great Mammon would have his heart captured by a human. Oh, I simply can't bear it!" Mammon mockingly exclaimed, the back of his hand pressed against his forehead in anguish.

"You are actually the biggest dork I've ever known," Ren chuckled.

"I might be, but you loooooove me! Ooooooh, you loooooove meeeeeee."

A pillow was thrown at Mammon's face.

-

After band practice, Ren asked Lucifer if they could talk in his office. Lucifer agreed, helping to put away equipment before they retired to his office. The practice went well, all things considered. Ren would probably have to talk to Mammon though about the excessive touching, it began to visibly upset Beelzebub and even started to get underneath Lucifer's skin. They never directly said anything, but Ren could feel it.

As soon as they stepped inside Lucifer's office, he slammed the door shut and viciously attacked Ren's mouth. He pushed the boy to the table, settling between his legs while they fervently kissed one another. 

"He touched you. That entire. _Fucking_. Practice. My turn," Lucifer growled. Ren, sitting on the desk, grabbed at Lucifer's ass and squeezed. The other grunted into his mouth, surprised and delighted at the action. Lucifer decided to pay back the affection, grabbing a fist worth's of Ren's hair and yanking his head back to lick a stripe up his neck. Ren moaned loudly, lost in lust and failing to remember his original goal. 

"So pretty," Lucifer mumbled, gently biting at Ren's jawline after every lick of his neck.

"Lucifer," Ren moaned again, taking hold of the man's arms. "We have t-to stop, I n-needed... to tell you s-something." It was hard to get a word out with Lucifer's one track mind to make Ren putty in his hands. 

"What is it my Ren?" Lucifer faked interest, still nosing along Ren's neck and placing occasional self-indulgent kisses. 

Ren took advantage of the break, putting a hand between them to create some space. Who knows what would happen if they didn't settle down a bit. 

"So... we've sort of been going at this for a while. Me and you, and I feel like our relationship is pretty developed, I think. It's made me have a lot of, like, internal dialogue with myself. About how I feel and, uh, uhm...," Ren quavered. This was certainly a lot harder than he'd anticipated. He felt Lucifer's piercing stare cut through any ounce of confidence he possessed. 

"Cat got your tongue? Just say it, my Ren." If only Lucifer understood how Ren couldn't _just say it,_ that he was the one who worked him up the most. The one that was most intense in both aspects of their relationship, emotional and sexual. It was like hanging out with your high school crush, that kind of anxiety that could make you bedridden. Except, they were somewhat together but Ren could never shake that feeling. 

"Uh, what I'm trying to get at is that... I, uh, I love you, Lucifer. Wow, never thought I'd profess my love to the almighty Lucifer. My nana back home would bonk me over the head if she knew," Ren weakly laughed.

Lucifer grabbed his chin, pulling their mouths together again. "Do you have even the slightest hint about what you do to me? I thought I would pledge my allegiance to Diavolo and that was the end of it, a life of devoted servitude. Yet, you strode in, wide-eyed and unassuming about everything. I can't stand it, the way you've opened up this box of emotions I've long sealed away. Every moment I'm away from you I yearn for your presence, your company. I feel like a stupid lovesick child, but goddamnit I love you Ren." 

Lucifer's forehead laid against Ren's throughout the confession, his hands curling into fists on the side of Ren's thighs. It frustrated him, feeling like words were simply not enough to express how he truly felt. Partly, his ego prevented him from spilling his guts. After all, it'd only been just under five months so how logical was it that he felt this strongly about someone? He'd thrown out the fact Ren was human, that no longer mattered. He was unclear of how to navigate the pandora's box of affections Ren tore open. How could one exchange student break him down to this wreckage of indescribable feelings?

He kissed Ren, soft but passionate. It was an attempt to convey how he felt without having to say it. Not that he expected Ren to telepathically understand what the gesture meant, but he hoped he could feel its difference. Feel the difference in the way Lucifer held him close, clinging to his lips like Ren would slip away at any given moment. "I love you," Lucifer whispered again, resting his chin on Ren's shoulder as he hugged him close. This was the most "frail" Ren had ever seen him, body glued to his like letting go would mean death.

Ren rubbed up and down Lucifer's back, one hand absent-mindedly playing with the man's raven colored hair. He would need to make note that this was without a doubt the most intimate reaction. He never expected Lucifer to be this... soft. Thankfully, his assignment was finished and he could report back to Diavolo tomorrow. 

Mission complete!

-

"So, tell me of your findings Ren. I do hope they were interesting!" Diavolo beamed, hands folded together. 

Ren explained everything, from Belphegor's teasing to Satan's very unexpected response to Lucifer's tenderness. The entire time Diavolo keenly listened, leaning forward and being equally as shocked as Ren at some of the outcomes.

"Beelzebub... _cried?_ "

"Yes! Oh I felt so bad, he's very sweet."

"And Satan... said it first?"

"Yeah, that one I didn't expect at all."

"Lucifer was truly that affectionate? You're sure?"

"It was very endearing, pretty out of character for him. I think he should be more like that. It was a nice change."

Diavolo hummed, deep in thought. He certainly hadn't expected the results to be so... varied. He assumed the brothers would be shocked when Ren told them, but that only a handful of them would return the words. Not that every single brother would bare their ass to the wind. Diavolo drastically undermined the effect Ren had on them. He knew there was a good reason he picked him out of the select few to become an exchange student at the academy.

"My word. You are quite the human Ren. Before I know it, you'll have courted half the school! However, one thing still lingers on my mind. Does it not bother you they are all men?"

"I mean, I thought about it at first. But it ended up not really mattering in the end."

"Interesting. I only ask because I know in some regions of society within the human realm that can be a bit taboo," Diavolo explained.

"I guess yeah. It wasn't really a big deal for me growing up. I sort of went with the flow if I liked someone that was my same sex." Ren had never really put much thought into his sexuality, just opting for "whoever comes my way" regardless of gender. And if he had seven beautiful men clawing at his door, so be it. 

Diavolo nodded in understanding. "Anyways, thank you for your time Ren! You shall be rewarded fairly soon via notification from your D.D.D."

"If you don't mind me asking sir, what did you hope to gain from this? You told me all would be revealed but I still don't understand its purpose," Ren recalled. The assignment hadn't revealed its point, if anything it didn't seem like there was any point. 

"There was something particular about you. When I was selecting human students for the exchange program and your file fell upon my desk, I just knew. There's something... captivating about this one. I still can't quite tell you what, but you have seven of the most powerful demons all clawing for your attention. Think of this assignment as a mere investigation on my behalf, Ren. I am thankful for your cooperation. I owe you, and it's always a good thing for me to be in your debt. You are dismissed if you have no further questions." 

Ren left Diavolo's office, heading for his room. This had been the most draining week yet at the academy. Feelings aren't his strong suit and to have to confront them the entire week was terrible. And that thing Diavolo said, about being captivating. Ren would never understand it, but he supposed from a demon's perspective he was unique. Still, knowing even Diavolo was keeping a closer eye on him was just a little (it was more than a little) frightening. The assignment's big goal was still unknown and just as abstract as when it was first introduced to Ren. At this point he was going to leave his findings with Diavolo and not worry about it further.

He hoped Mammon was waiting for him at his dorm. He needed to big spoon this week away.

\- 


	8. Shows and Shady Strolls

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The band performs their first show and Mammon wants to take Ren somewhere.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HI EVERYONE :DDDDDD so this chapter might not make a whole bunch of sense initially if you havent listened to all i wanted by paramore but anyways i hope u enjoy :)

"Where is Mammon?" Lucifer irritatedly asked, beginning to set up their equipment. They'd practiced for a few weeks, picking out three songs in particular to perform at the local pizzeria. They were unsure of how Mammon was able to even get them a gig, but apparently he'd recently paid off a debt to the store's owner.

They were on in fifteen minutes and Mammon was still nowhere to be found. He wasn't answering his D.D.D. even though Ren called him multiple times. Normally, he'd pick up the instant Ren dialed his number. Something drastic must've happened. 

"If I dedicated hours of my time for him to bail on us, his punishment is going to be so severe he'd wish he was dead," Lucifer fumed. Ren prayed Mammon would arrive, for his own sake at the very least. 

Within a few seconds Mammon burst through the doors of the pizzeria, hair tousled with his instrument strung around his chest. He frantically made for the stage, profusely apologizing to the herds of people he was bumping into. "Hey guys! Sorry I'm super late, was catching a few Z's before this and I guess I overslept," Mammon nonchalantly informed. Lucifer threw Ren a knowing stare, rolling his eyes as Ren mouthed "let it go."

"I hope we get pizza after!" Beelzebub trilled, excitedly clapping his hands together. 

"Let's just finish getting set up guys," Ren said. Mammon murmured a quiet apology to Ren while they continued preparing for the show, kissing his cheek and promising he'd make it up to him. Ren had a feeling that meant he would get to be little spoon tonight.

"How are you feeling? Nervous?" Lucifer queried, giving Ren's back an encouraging pat.

"I'm nervous, definitely. More so about me sounding good. Mammon sure did pick songs that are really high. But I'l be fine. We've practiced a ton, so I feel prepared." Lucifer nodded, returning to his setup. Ren rolled his neck and shook his hands, dispelling some of the pre-show jitters he felt coming on. If he just took a deep breath and focused on the message of the song everything would be okay. Although Mammon did pick out songs with vocally high arrangements, the lyrics made it easy to slip into a character and get lost in the music. Ren remembered that every brother would be there in support too, making it easier to play to familiar faces. 

For the week leading up to the show, Mammon printed out fliers to hang around the academy. He figured it would help get word out and give them a supportive audience. It paid off since the pizzeria was packed, every booth and table full with even some of the staff standing by to watch. Playing to a full house excited just as much as it terrified Ren. 

It'd been a while since he sang to anyone, let alone a massive crowd. Even back in high school he preferred not to be the star soloist, often choosing to blend in with the rest of the group. Being the lead singer of a band he knew he was going to subject himself to garnering the most attention. He was just unprepared for the anxiety that would bring.

"We ready?" Ren asked, looking back to the boys to check that everything was correctly plugged in and working. 

"We're good to go," Lucifer replied. Well, here goes nothing.

Ren tapped the mic before saying, "Testing. 1, 2. Alrighty! Hi everyone!" The audience responded with a thunderous "Hi Ren." As he looked out into the crowd, there wasn't a single person he didn't recognize. Classmates filled the space, the four other brothers sitting at a table in the center of the room. Diavolo even came, placing himself at the far back. That really helped ease some weight off of Ren's shoulders. 

"As you may know, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Mammon and I have recently formed a new band. We're all very thankful that so many people came out tonight! We've prepared a few songs for you so I hope you enjoy the show. Without further ado, we are The Louder Day Saints and this is 'All I Wanted.'"

Lucifer played the opening strings, Ren falling into the correct headspace for the song. He felt he sang best when it was with purpose, when the meaning of the song became personal and not just a bunch of notes for three and a half minutes. 

_Think of me when you're out, when you're out there_

_I'll beg you nice from my knees_

_And when the world treats you way too fairly_

_Well, it's a shame, I'm a dream_

There were already a few soft whoops while he sang the first lines, Ren smiling in acknowledgement at the sound. 

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

The song kicked off, Mammon's bass line joining in along with Beelzebub. Lucifer and Mammon played to each other, enthusiastically head-banging. Everyone in the crowd watched in awe, already mesmerized by the performance. Even Leviathan who typically preferred EDM was unintentionally bobbing his head along.

_I think I'll pace my apartment a few times_

_And fall asleep on the couch_

_Wake up early to black and white re-runs_

_That escaped from my mouth_

_Oh, oh_

Here it came. The big second chorus, the release of pain. He let it hit him, all the frustration and disappointment and anger from failed past relationships flowed through him as belted the chorus at the top of his lungs. He moved from the center, walking purposefully to the side of the stage. Ren was performing with his whole body, doubling over as the notes easily left his mouth. He knew it was bad technique, crushing his diaphragm could make it a little more difficult to sing. But none of that mattered as the adrenaline coursed through him, trouncing over any improper methods. 

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

Ren looked up as he finished the second chorus, lost and dazed from the emotions. He walked back to the center, deliberately closing his eyes while the final verse began.

_I could follow you to the beginning_

_And just to relive the start_

_And maybe then we'll remember to slow down_

_At all of our favorite parts_

The final chorus, the ending, the goodbye. Ren let it all ebb and flow out of him, putting his everything into the final bit of the song. He let all of his negative emotions bubble to the top as the words left his mouth, a piece of his rage leaving with every fleeting note. 

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

_All I wanted was you_

The crowd erupted with cheer, drowning the diminishing sounds of the instruments as the song finished. Ren leaned forward, holding onto the mic stand a little longer before coming back down to earth. Ren could hear Leviathan's piercing fanboy scream through everyone else. He smiled, the cathartic performance putting him at a high. 

The night was starting to look up.

-

The boys continued their setlist, finishing out their next three songs with equally enthusiastic responses from the crowd. Ren thanked everyone again for coming out, wrapping up the show with a final farewell. Chatter resumed in the restaurant while the boys worked to pack up their equipment. Luckily, Lucifer could just snap his fingers once they were done and everything would be neatly tucked away back in a storage shed at the academy. How magic makes life so much easier.

The band dispersed into the audience, individually thanking those they recognized for attending. Belphegor was the first person Ren bumped into, the youngest immediately squeezing the boy into a bear-tight hug. "I'm so proud of you!" Belphegor fawned, squeezing Ren's cheeks after their hug. "My best friend is a rockstar!"

"Oh Belphie stop. You're gonna embarrass me again."

"Not my fault my friend is _the_ cutest little rockstar ever!" Oh god, Belphegor was putting on his baby voice again, going at Ren's face for a second round with the squishing. He knew this was probably to spite him, but it was just as emasculating every time.

Asmodeus sifted through the restaurant, hoping to steal a moment of Ren's time. "Oh Reeennn!" he sang, giving the taller boy's butt a playful spank.

"Woah! Oh, Asmodeus! Hey, thanks for coming! What'd you think?"

"Magnificent! Your voice, your high belt, the way you embodied every single song! My, I wasn't aware my pretty little Ren was such a performer. I bet you could put many people to shame in the human realm." Asmodeus continued to flood Ren with compliments. Ren wasn't used to all the approval, cheeks tinging red. He'd been doing that a lot since he'd come to the Devildom, always blushing like a schoolgirl in front of one the brothers. His conversation with Asmodeus was short-lived as he was interrupted by a tap on his shoulder. 

Ren turned around, coming to face several girls. "Oh my god, you were like super cool up there Ren!" one of his classmates shrieked, a group of girls behind her looking just as starstruck. He recognized her, they sat next together in chemistry. Emily, though he normally just calls her Em. It was the only class he didn't share with a brother. He had a sneaking suspicion some of the brothers forcibly took classes just to be with him, but he honestly didn't mind. 

Emily was pretty, a teenage boy's dream. She wasn't short by any means, around five foot nine with curly dark black hair that fell to her waist. Her eyes were a pretty shade of green, her deeply tanned skin making their color pop. She was always nice to Ren, explaining concepts he didn't understand in chemistry. They often got in trouble for laughing too much in class, permanently snickering about something in the back of the classroom. 

"Oh wow, thanks guys. I'm really glad you came!" Ren thanked, smile big and wide. 

"We were just wondering if you could take a picture with us?" Emily squeaked, worrying her lip between her teeth. 

"Yeah sure, no problem!" Ren bent down to the girls' height (his knees aching in response) and threw up a peace sign at the camera. Emily snapped the photo while her friends huddled around Ren. They all giggled, high pitched squealing once again filling the air around them. Shortly after, her friends quickly left leaving Emily and Ren alone.

"Hey Ren, I wanted to ask you something," Emily said, anxiously playing with her hands.

"Yeah what's up?"

"Well, we've been friends in chemistry for a while and I was thinking that maybe... you and I could go on like a d-"

"'Sup Ren! Hope you didn't miss me too much baby. Mwah!" Mammon interrupted, bursting Ren's personal bubble by snaking a hand around his waist and giving him a wet kiss on the cheek. "Who's your friend here?"

"Oh, this is Emily. She's my friend in chemistry. We were just talking."

"Well hello there Ren's friend Emily. I am very sorry to interrupt but I must borrow mister handsome here. However, feel free to text him and he will eventually respond. I'll make sure of it," Mammon promised. He kept his grip on Ren's waist, moving them to the exit. Ren yelled a last "goodbye!" and Emily gave a defeated wave. Poor girl.

"What's up? You kind of trounced all over my conversation Mammon." They were outside, Mammon continuing to lead them to wherever he planned. 

"I know and I'm like, forty eight percent sorry. But I told you I was going to make it up to you." Mammon stopped walking, taking hold of Ren's hands and pressing a kiss to both of them. "So let me make it up to you baby." Ren grinned, always a fan of Mammon's pet names.

They walked for a bit, companionable silence dancing around them. Mammon lead them to the edge of the street that branched off into the forest ahead. One of Lucifer's first warnings when Ren arrived at the Devildom was to never walk the streets alone past midnight. However, he was here with Mammon, the second most powerful brother and the night was still fairly young. What was the worst that could happen?

"Oh, I see what's happening. Come to deflower me amongst the moonlight in the forest? Such a bad boy," Ren bantered. 

"As much as I love that idea, I've actually brought us here for a specific destination. There's a little spot in the center of the forest. It's this open area where the moon shines perfectly. I wanted to take you there." As much of a grimy gremlin Mammon could be, he was irresistibly romantic when it came to Ren. He was always showering him with cheek kisses and soft touches and loving words of affirmation. 

Mammon took him by the hand again, leading them forward. The woods were pretty dense, difficult to see far ahead with very little light. If he'd come here with a regular friend at this hour, he'd definitely be spooked into zooming back to his dorm. 

As they cleared the thick woods, little slivers of light began to shine through openings in the trees. They must be close to the spot, Mammon's pace even picked up. 

Coming out of the forest, the pair were met with a beautifully lit extension of grass. The moon illuminated the space, a stone statue sitting in the center of a shallow pond. A soft wind blew through, the grass swaying ever so slightly. It was a stunning place, incredibly sappy of Mammon to want to bring Ren here. 

"Would have never picked you as the romantic type Mammon. This place is... gorgeous." Ren stepped forward, letting go of Mammon's hand to gaze at the sight before him. Everything seemed to almost glow, like some sort of unspoken magic laid here. It felt harmonious, kind, like this was a place you were supposed to discover.

"A gorgeous place for a gorgeous man." Mammon placed his hands on Ren's hips, letting a plush kiss fall on the back of his neck. "I didn't mean to arrive late, it was a genuine mistake you know? I'm sorry baby, forgive me?" Mammon softly spoked into Ren's neck, arms coming around to hug him close against his chest.

Ren turned around, bringing his hands together at the back of the man's neck. "Something on your mind? You seem down." It wasn't unusual for Mammon to apologize, but Ren noticed the minor somber tone of his voice. 

Mammon sighed, leaning his forehead on Ren's shoulder. "Nothing really, I just don't like disappointing you. I know the brothers expect me to flake, but I want to get it right with you. This sounds dumb, I'm an all powerful demon for crying out loud. I just can't help that you make me want to be good. For you. That's really annoying." 

"Don't beat yourself up about it. You showed up, we put on a fantastic show and everyone loved it. You didn't disappoint me. And yeah, your feelings may conflict with your instinctive desire to be... well, a _demon_. But I can't say I regret having this effect on you. You're very mushy." Mammon smirked, lifting his head to amorously kiss Ren. 

Mammon whispered a "love you, so much" in-between rounds of kisses, Ren reciprocating the sentiment. The couple stood there a minute, bodies pressed together, holding each other while the moonlight gleamed down on them. Mammon would never openly admit it (because his brothers would eventually find out and decimate him for it) but he was practically putty when it came to Ren. He was at his every beck and call, eager to do anything for him. Ren noticed, using it to his advantage every now and then. 

"I don't want you to go to back to the human realm. That's unfair. You can't do this to me and then leave," Mammon complained, lips sporting a pout. 

"That's still a good six months away Mammon. You don't need to worry about that now. Right now, you have me." Mammon nodded, resting his face in the crook of Ren's neck. He didn't really want to think about it either, leaving the academy. Leaving the brothers would be the worst part. If only he could just freeze time.

_Grrrrr..._

"Hey, did you hear that? Sounded like a dog," Ren said. It was a low guttural sound, unmistakeable. It sounded like it came from the trees. Were they not alone in the forest? 

The trees behind them rustled, branches being snapped as something made its way through. The duo swiftly turned around, both of them alarmed. Out of the thicket came a monstrous dog, twice the size of them with three heads. Its fur was a mixture of black and blood red, eyes on each head glowing a piercingly bright golden yellow. The creature snarled as it inched closer, mouth foaming, looking ready to attack.

"Uh, Mammon..."

"Yeah, I know. I see it. That's Cerberus, didn't think he'd be out tonight. Just... don't move," Mammon instructed. He moved closer, offering appeasing words in order to placate the dog. Nothing seemed to work. The animal stalked forward, seeming more agitated with every step. It began to bark, swiping a paw on the ground like it was ready to charge. 

"Hey big guy, didn't meant to disturb your walking grounds. If you let us leave I'll buy ya a tasty treat! Sound good?" Mammon entreated, reaching out to pet Cerberus. It was an unsuccessful attempt as Cerberus swiped a giant paw at Mammon, knocking him off to the side. His body tumbled to the other side of the grass, Cerberus lying its sights on Ren.

It growled again, bearing its fangs at Ren. Ren should be petrified, frozen in place by fear. But honestly, he was more irritated than anything. Him and Mammon were having a tender moment, but as luck would have it, something _always_ had to interrupt that. He was going to show this thing who it was dealing with.

The beast barked ferociously, all three heads growling with equal venom. Without warning, it charged at Ren, ready to defend its territory. 

"Cerberus, stay!" Ren commanded, pointing a finger directly to the animal. The animal braked, digging its paws into the dirt to stop itself from crashing into Ren. It stopped just a few feet from him, looking confused before savagely barking once more. "I said stay!" Ren boomed, snapping his fingers and pointing to the ground.

Cerberus whimpered, dejectedly falling to the ground and covering its heads with its paws. "Good boy!" Ren praised, petting each head. Cerberus panted, smiling and giving a happy bark. As appreciation for the praise it received, the middle head licked Ren's face. For a demonic dog, its breath wasn't too bad. "Alright! You've had your fun boy! Now leave me and my... partner to it. Go on!" Ren excitedly patted Cerberus' sides, persuading him to rise. Cerberus stood up, resuming its full height. With one last bark and with a zealous lick from each head, Cerberus dashed back into the forest. 

Ren jogged over to Mammon who finally sat up, shaking his head. "How did... how'd you know that would work?" 

"I didn't. But it is a dog, so I hoped it would do something."

"Are you crazy?! You could've been seriously hurt! Or even killed!" Mammon scolded.

"It interrupted our little moment. It was going to listen to me no matter what."

"You are one absolutely batshit crazy human. I didn't believe Satan when he told me the carnival story, but now I do." 

"What? You don't like crazy? Guess I'll just return to my dorm by myself," Ren shrugged, beginning to walk away.

"Woah woah, I never said that," Mammon defended, standing up and grabbing Ren's arm. "Crazy on you is... very hot. And I would love to you show you how hot it is at your dorm." Mammon pulled him in by the hips, their faces centimeters away from each other. 

"Oh don't think you're going to seduce me and we're just going to ignore the fact you totally lead us into a demon dog's playground. You're on thin ice!" Ren shoved him away, haughtily crossing his arms.

"But it was an accident!" Mammon whined, bouncing up and down like a child. 

"You're like a baby, I swear. But... big spoon me tonight and maybe I'll let you off the hook," Ren compromised, placing a flirtatious kiss to Mammon's mouth. "Just maybe."

"Heard loud and clear!" Mammon saluted, ready to give his lover the snuggle of a lifetime.

-

Ren still ended up being big spoon that night.

-


	9. Covert Communications

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Belphegor has another dastardly plan...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> !!! mild sexual content warning !!! omg hey everyone, sorry for the hiatus! college got pretty crazy with the final weeks of the semester but i'll be back soon! hope everyone enjoys this lil chapter :D

"I'm boreeedddduuuuuhhhhh!" Belphegor childishly fussed, poking at Ren's thigh to get his attention. Belphegor had more or less invited himself into Ren's room even though he initially protested. This English essay wasn't going to write itself. The youngest brother hadn't been that much of a distraction, occasionally laying his head on Ren's shoulder to take a peek at his progress. However, in the past fifteen minutes he'd become unbearably restless, fidgeting and bothering Ren frequently. "Giiivvvve meeeee attentionnnnnn." 

"Belphie, I told you I was going to be working on my paper. You can wait. It won't be the end of the world." Belphegor huffed, crossing his arms and pouting. Great, another big baby like Mammon. You don't pay attention to them for fifteen minutes and it's like you killed one of their brothers.

Belphegor wasn't going to easily let it go though. He swiftly shut Ren's laptop, set it to the side and hopped into his lap. He placed his hands behind Ren's neck, lacing his fingers together to trap him. "Hey! I was working on that!" Ren protested. 

"You're fine, you were on Devil Docs anyway so everything saves automatically and you said it isn't due for another week. Now that I have your attention...," Belphegor mischievously grinned, preparing to drum up another one of his schemes. "I think we should get into some trouble. Like sneak around the academy again."

"No offense Belphie, but the last time we did that... well... I'd rather not have a repeat of last time." Ren's face went hot at the memory, Lucifer pinning him up against the wall and filthily rubbing his body against him. It wasn't _unwelcome_. Just unexpected.

"Okay fine, we won't do something that'll get you booty-grabbed by Lucifer," Belphegor laughed. 

"Can't we just stay here and snuggle?" Ren proposed, tugging Belphegor's body close and resting his head on the boy's chest. He'd much rather stay safe and cooped up in his bedroom than wreak chaos around the academy again. 

"Aww, is my cute little baby tired?" Belphegor teased, putting on his baby voice and taking a hold of Ren's cheeks. He loved squishing them, finding it amusing how Ren's cheeks could blind him if squished hard enough. He continued cooing at Ren, playing with his hair and prodding at his face fat. 

"Yes. Baby is tired," Ren said, swatting his assailant's hands away. "Aren't you the Avatar of Sloth? Shouldn't you be overjoyed I want to do nothing but rest in your arms?" 

"This is true, but how can I sleep when the day is so young! And I'm with my best friend! Come on you big baby, let's tear this place apart!" Belphegor exclaimed, moving from Ren's lap and dragging him to the door. "I have the greatest idea, one for the ages!" For someone who's supposed to be the laziest being alive, he was exuding quite the amount of excitement.

Ren was already regretting this, but he couldn't help the smile that spread across his face from indulging Belphegor. With a quick putting-on of his shoes, the duo fled into the academy, ready to cause some damage.

-

"Alright, we're doing this James Bond style. I watched a few of those human movies so I think I'm pretty cultured on it. We're gonna do this stylishly and... sexily? Is that an adjective?" 

"What exactly are we doing? And why are we underneath this blanket? And how come it's transparent?" Ren asked, nervous of what Belphegor may have drummed up. What if it was more pranks? Oh god, what if they get caught and... _that_ happened again? Ren's not so sure about this anymore, maybe it really was a bad idea to play along with his antics.

"We, my friend, are going to be spies. And this blanket here makes us invisible while we can still see out of it. Oh and it mutes sound. Super over-powered if you ask me. It's like that movie about wizards or something in your realm. Now, there's a few people on our hit list. First, we have my beefy twin and Mammon. I'm sure they're together right now in Mammon's room. Beelzebub and I being twins makes us almost telepathically connected."

"You mean... you can read his thoughts? And I think you're talking about Harry Potter."

"Yeah, something like that. I mean, I don't know word for word what goes on through his head. But it's like a sensation. Like right now he's thinking about a triple deluxe bacon cheeseburger with extra cheese and he's also wishing he could share it with you! Being a twin is fun."

"What're you hoping to get out of this Belphie? Spying hardly seems like something you'd be interested in." What could he possibly hear through a wall that he didn't already know?

"Well, you see, since you've basically turned the academy up on its ass I'm pretty sure there's new juicy gossip. I always am the last to hear anything. Mammon might be an idiot at times, but he knows almost as much as Lucifer. Now, onward!" Belphegor pressed, marching forward to their first destination. 

Upon arriving outside of Mammon's room, there were already sounds coming from inside. They weren't hushed whispers, so it probably wasn't a big secret, just like Ren thought. Really, this was a fruitless endeavor and Ren didn't know why Belphegor even bothered. They crouched a few feet from the door, pressing their ears against the wall.The voices were muffled, but audible.

"How do you deal with it Beelz? I swear it's driving me up a goddamn wall just thinking about it. I know I agreed to this... shared thing we have going on with him, but sometimes I just want to whisk him away to a far away place and never return!" came Mammon's exasperated voice. He sounded quite irritated, normally the way he does when he's worked up. Ren smirked, picturing Mammon's hands frustratedly tangled in his hair while he paced around on the floor. 

"I like to eat, so sometimes I handle it like that. Other times, my cravings for Ren's attention is so bad I have to see him. Even if it isn't just us two. It's hard, but I like him more than nine bowls of ramen. So I think it's worth it." 

"Ugh, that doesn't help anything! I can't just eat my feelings away. My stomach isn't a bottomless pit. And aren't you afraid of looking... desperate? I mean, if I saw someone clawing for my attention I might laugh at them. What if Ren laughs at me?"

"But you _are_ desperate. We're all desperate for his attention. I think that Ren doesn't mind either. He hasn't complained about it ever. So I think you should just eat a tasty sandwich and be happy." There was some rustling inside the room, probably Beelzebub trying to hand Mammon some food.

"Ooooh, you have the boys all bothereeedddd," Belphegor teased, poking at Ren's shoulder. He had no idea Mammon was feeling this way. Or at least, not this worked up. They'd talked about sometimes spending more time with each other, Mammon unquestionably the most needy of his siblings. However, between classes and trying to maintain his grades, things didn't always work out in their favor.

"I didn't know about this. Did you know about this? You seem awfully amused by it," Ren said suspiciously, squinting his eyes at Belphegor in an insinuating manner. 

"What ever do you mean? I am but the uninformed youngest, how could I ever know about this?" Belphegor's tone was facetious, clearly showing he already knew about Mammon's grief. 

Ren offhandedly slapped Belphegor's shoulder. "Belphie! You have to tell me about these things. You know it's important to me." A nagging notion he was neglecting Mammon surged through his mind, thoughts clouded by guilt. 

"Oh don't be so dramatic. Mammon's an idiot and thinks you'll judge him for having emotions. Just show him it's okay. Honestly, I'm helping you. You're welcome!" Belphegor sarcastically conceded, flicking at Ren's forehead. Ren hissed a small "ow" before rubbing at the infliction. 

"As interesting as that was, I think it's time to move on to our second round of victims. Onward!" Belphegor declared, pointing a purposeful finger upwards. As they pressed on, thoughts about the conversation they overheard muddled in Ren's head. He'd have to talk with Mammon soon. It was apparent this was a pressing concern of his and Ren hated the idea of causing Mammon grief. Maybe after Belphegor had his fun they could talk.

-

"Our final victim will be none other than Lord Diavolo himself. I bet there's a ton of information we could get. And before you get all worked up, no I do not know how this interaction will play out." Ren rolled his eyes, still minutely upset Belphegor would keep such information from him. 

"I would protest because I don't think eavesdropping on the head of the academy is a good idea. Like, at all. But I feel like any objections I have are going to go in through one ear and out the other," Ren assumed. Once Belphegor set his mind to whatever rotted activity he had planned, there was a very small chance he wouldn't follow through. A trait Ren adored, but in this instance, despised.

They leaned their heads against the wall, ears fighting to cut through the barrier of sound the wall provided. Some footsteps came from inside then a chair being pulled out. Guess Lord Diavolo had a visitor. But who?

"My Lord Diavolo, I must shamefully ask for your guidance on a certain... issue that has recently come up," Lucifer spoke. He sounded almost embarrassed, an emotion Ren didn't think he possessed. In his experience Lucifer was flirty, seductive, reassuring and patient. Come to think of it, he'd never seen Lucifer to be hesitant or shy with his feelings.

"Oh? What is pestering you, little Luci?" Diavolo said slyly. Ren could practically hear the teasing smile on Diavolo's face. 

"Please, you know I hate that nickname. But anyway, what do you know about er... uhm, I'm not quite sure how to approach this." Ren heard the chair scraping the floor again, Lucifer probably standing up. "What do you know about human and demon relations? Is it... well, safe?"

"You mean as in sex?"

"Dear Hell Diavolo!" Lucifer groaned. "Must you be so vulgar?" Oh no, flashes from their conversation a while back flew through Ren's mind. It was so horridly embarrassing, yet Lucifer had been very kind about it. He thought he wouldn't want to wait, that if Ren didn't put out soon then Lucifer would get fed up. Surely though, he doesn't mean to discuss this with Diavolo. Were they really that close?

"What?! No sense in beating around the bush Luci!" Diavolo heartily laughed. "Look, I'm not dumb Lucifer. I know you're involved with that Ren, as well as most of your other brothers too. I created this program to bring humans, celestials and demons closer together. You creating a relationship with Ren perfectly shows that. And if you want to do that with him, then I won't stop you. Just... make sure he knows what happens when you're about to, well... you know. Climax."

Ren's eyes went wide and he felt Belphegor staring at him, probably just as shocked. "Lucifer must really like you. He came to Diavolo of all people about this," Belphegor whispered.

"Yeah, I guess. But I am so embarrassed. Also, what did Diavolo mean about, uh, 'climaxing.' What happens then?" Diavolo didn't make it sound like it was dangerous, just something Ren should be aware of prior to.

"Uhhh... I'll let Lucifer explain that one to you. After all, you guys are probably going to smash soon." Belphegor clapped him on the back, smiling. Ren wanted to melt into the floor. Nothing like your partner's younger brother congratulating you on the future sex you're going to have. "Wait, they're still talking."

"Listen Luci. I know you pledged a life of servitude and allegiance to me. And we've had our fun here and there, but I'm not childish and I'm not going to punish you for this. If Ren is the one you desire then that's who you should pursue. Our bond will still be." It sounded like Diavolo was giving Lucifer his blessing. He was relinquishing him from the chains, setting Lucifer free in a way.

"Thank you, my Lord. Your understanding means everything to me." 

"Wow, that was kinda intense," Belphegor said, staring off at the wall. 

"Is this a bad thing?" Ren worried, hoping he wasn't coming between a special bond with the two men. He'd admit, it did make him jealous that Lucifer had a past relationship with Diavolo. But that wasn't the point here. Lucifer wanted him. Of everyone in all the realms, he wanted _him._ Damn these schoolboy crush feelings he felt surging through his body, but he couldn't help relishing in them.

"Not necessarily. I just haven't seen Lucifer show so much concern for someone. Aside from Diavolo and us brothers. It's nice," Belphegor smiled. "Congrats, you've managed to emotionally seduce every single one of my brothers! They'll call you the Demon Tamer in the history books!"

"Oh god," Ren sighed, palm covering his face in embarrassment. "You are the worst friend ever. I hope you know this Belphie."

"Yeah, I try. But for now, I think you have a few people you need to talk to. Our mission was a success!" The pair retreated back to Ren's dorm, Belphegor removing the blanket from them and wishing Ren good luck one last time. 

-

He figured he should get his conversation with Lucifer out of the way. It would no doubt be the more awkward conversation to have, but at least it would be over and done with. If they were going to eventually "do it" soon then they needed to be prepared. What if having sex with a demon was too taxing on the human body and Ren's dick breaks? Or what if he dies? Oh god, there's so many things that could go wrong.

No, he wasn't going to psych himself out. He was going to have a mature, adult conversation with Lucifer if it killed him (hopefully it wouldn't). He shot Lucifer a text, saying he wanted to talk and he also misses him. Within the next minute his door swung open, Lucifer marching over to him. "What's wrong? Are you hurt? Did someone hurt you? I'll kill them," Lucifer frantically spoke, taking Ren's face in his hands to do further inspection.

Ren couldn't help but chuckle, finding some of Lucifer's imperative behavior endearing. "I'm fine Lucifer," Ren assured. He softly grabbed Lucifer's wrists, guiding him to sit on the bed. "I just wanted to clear some stuff up. About when we... eventually seal the deal." This was already uncomfortable and they'd barely even started. 

"Oh, I see. Before you say anything, I would never wish for you to expedite this process if you're still not comfortable," Lucifer assured, casting away some of the doubt Ren had. The younger nodded, timidly smiling and averting his gaze.

"I hate this talk," Ren laughed, Lucifer agreeing and joining in the laughter. Ren took hold of his hands, fingers interlocking. "But it's important to me. I just want to make sure we're on the same page."

"Yes, my love. I would never want to hurt you. I must ask though, are you still...," Lucifer wandered off, thinking of a way to gracefully approach this. "Will this be your first time?"

Ren's breath hitched, ears turning red. There would be no point in lying to Lucifer, he'd see right through him anyway. This is incredibly embarrassing, admitting to an ancient demon you've never had sex before. Lucifer has probably had many partners throughout his life, he probably didn't want to be with someone so inexperienced. 

"Yeah... I-Is that a bad thing?" Ren nervously stuttered. His heart hammered in his chest, blood pounded in his ears which made it difficult to hear. His anxiety was spiking, his palms were getting sweaty and he noticed his throat beginning to dry up. This was it, Lucifer was going to back out and probably the others would too.

"No! That's fine. I will just, uh, submit to you then."

"Submit?" Ren asked, a bit confused. Did he mean like... submit a paper? Do demons need you to sign a royal decree before you do it with them? Six months in the Devildom and Ren was just barely grasping at the basics.

"As in... please don't make me say it out loud," Lucifer begged. His cheeks tinged pink, eyes flickering down to the bed and back up at Ren.

"I don't understand what you're saying Lucifer. Sometimes, you kinda talk like the Queen of England."

"I mean that you will be inside of me."

"Oh. Oh! Wow. Are... are you sure you want to do that?" Ren was flattered at the thought Lucifer was willing to let him be the top. Well, in all fairness, Lucifer would probably still be in control. Ren thought there was no shame in being a power bottom.

"That would be very inconsiderate of me to force you into being the receiver. I may be a demon, but I pride myself on being a gentleman as well. And don't worry, I can't catch anything because I'm immune and if you get something that's why we have magic in this realm."

Ren nodded, placing a chaste kiss on the gentleman's lips. "Thank you for being understanding."

"Anything for you, my prince." Lucifer gave a cool grin, scooting closer to Ren and pulling his face toward him. "But if you don't mind, this sex talk has me _really_ wound up and being this close to you is making everything so much harder."

"Yeah? How much _harder_?" Ren slid a hand up the inside of Lucifer's thigh, his fingers dancing along the fabric. He liked doing this to him, making the all-mighty Lucifer nothing a puddle of goo in his hands. Normally Lucifer would be the one in control, but Ren wanted to switch it up. In a land full of creatures the size of mansions, it was nice to feel like he could have some power.

Lucifer took a quick inhale before abruptly snatching Ren's wrist. "I'm going to leave before I do something deplorable. But when the time comes," he leaned in, breath tickling Ren's ear as he whispered. "I don't want you to be gentle." 

With that, he swiftly exited the room, closing the door behind him and leaving Ren with an excruciating case of blue balls. He never got around to asking what happens at Lucifer's climax, but his thoughts were muddled by lust and want. He'd figure out what that means later.

Right now, Ren desperately needed a cold shower.

-

Ren told Mammon to meet him in his room in thirty minutes. It gave Ren enough time to take that cold shower and cool off from his heated encounter. However, in usual Mammon fashion, he burst through the door of Ren's dorm early and loudly announced his presence. Ren heard the soft thump of a body throwing itself onto his mattress, Mammon opting to wait for him to finish.

Ren stepped out of the shower, drying off and slipping on a pair of underwear. As he applied deodorant (the one that was Mammon's favorite) Mammon, very unannounced, walked into the bathroom. "Aye!" Ren shrieked, instinctively chucking his deodorant at Mammon and crossing his arms over his chest.

"I thought I would get a nicer greeting than that." Mammon caught the deodorant, setting it on the counter and moving closer to Ren. "You're wearing my favorite one. But what's wrong? Why're you covering your chest?"

"Mammon! This is my private bathroom time! I thought you'd wait until I was done," Ren explained, feeling self-conscious Mammon was seeing way more than he wanted him to. It'd always been a sore spot for him, liking what was in the mirror.

"But you look gorgeous. Hair all tousled, only in your undies. You're like a model babe." Mammon stepped closer, gently placing his hands on Ren's arms. He noticed Ren avoiding his gaze, probably feeling scrutinized or judged. "Hey, I'm sorry if I made you uncomfortable. But I need you to know that I already like you. With and without a shirt. So please move your hands and let me kiss you?" he prompted, Ren surrendering and letting his arms wrap around the small of Mammon's back. He pressed a kiss to Mammon's lips, feeling silly for getting worked up.

"You're wonderful and you always reassure me. I don't know why I can't accept you like me for me."

"I'm not a human, so I won't ever really understand it. I mean look at me, I'm built like a teenage dream!" Mammon flexed, giving a few over-exaggerated "ooh" and "ahh"s. Ren rolled his eyes, pushing him away and turning to face the mirror. "My point is though, you're so beautiful. You don't have to believe it, just know that I do," Mammon finished. He wrapped his arms around Ren's stomach, fingers swirling and grazing along the skin. "I love your little tum tum. It's like you always have a little food baby in there. I want my baby to be in there."

"Mammon you are so gross, get away from me you horndog," Ren laughed, slapping at the man's hands around his stomach.

"My beautiful man is standing right in front of me, in only his underwear, and you expect me to behave myself?" Mammon remarked. He gave that signature sly grin, indicating he had other plans in mind. "C'mon baby, let me show you how beautiful you are." He bit at Ren's earlobe, a hand suggestively grabbing at his ass. 

The half-naked boy spun around, desperately grabbing for Mammon's face and crashing their lips together. Ren felt safe with Mammon, knowing he'd never be judged. Even if it took some reassurance from time to time to get it through that dense head of his, he knew in his heart he was safe with him. With all the brothers, actually. It felt so good to be desired, wanted, things that were still foreign to Ren.

Mammon grabbed at the back of Ren's thighs, hoisting him up onto the sink and hungrily continuing their makeout session. Ren felt like tissue paper with the way Mammon so easily lifted him. He almost felt dainty. Then again, Mammon is a powerful demon so his strength was warranted.

Ren felt his erection rubbing against Mammon's stomach, the constraints of his underwear becoming unbearable. "You feel so big against me," Mammon breathed, lips sucking along Ren's neck. This was getting to be a lot, no matter how much Ren wanted to go further.

"Wait, we should stop." Ren broke away, putting some much needed distance between them. "I want to, trust me I do Mammon. But give me a little more time, yeah?"

Mammon pouted, muttering a defeated "okay" before giving Ren one last kiss and letting him fully clean up. After all, Ren did bring him up here for a reason that didn't involve getting hot and bothered. He quickly finished up, thinking about an old, haggard witch's boobs to make his boner go away. 

He joined Mammon on his bed, cuddling up to him and staring into his eyes. "Why'd you command my attention my little Rennie? I'm a very busy man, you know," Mammon said, his arm lazily draping itself over Ren's side. Though Ren could be the ultimate cockblock, Mammon was always over the moon to spend any time with him. 

"I just wanted to make sure you're okay. I know that we tend to see each other more than I see the others, but I feel like that hasn't been true recently." Ren purposely left out the part where he definitely spied on him and Beelzebub. As much as he loved Mammon, he'd probably never figure out how he found out. He's not the brightest crayon in the box.

"Am I that obvious?" Mammon's face fell, knowing he'd been exposed. "I try to hide it, it's just hard. All I ever want is to be with you. I can control my urges, but it's been getting me down. Shit kinda sucks man." Ren nodded, pulling Mammon in so he was cradled against his chest. His fingers carded through Mammon's soft white strands, a kiss placed to the demon's hair. 

"I know, and I would like to spend more time with you. Band rehearsals don't count for you, trust me I'm aware. But I can only split my time between all seven of you so evenly. Some weeks we can be together more than others. I wish I could give you a better solution, but it's just how things will have to be."

Mammon sighed, curling himself into Ren even more, hand clinging to the back of Ren's shirt. "I'm thankful for your honesty. I know I'll get over it soon, it's always harder in the beginning to get over stuff like this." Mammon bit his lip in hesitation, looking up at Ren. "To be honest I thought... I thought you'd think I'm overbearing. It was sorta freakin' me out."

"You are overbearing. And clingy. And loud. And like a fussy baby sometimes."

"Wow, okay thanks."

"But," Ren continued, "I like the attention. Yes, it's new to me and it makes me second guess myself too. But it's never unwelcome. Don't be afraid to talk to me about how you feel." 

"Sweet Lord Diavolo, I love you so much." Mammon moved from their embrace, sitting up to cradle Ren's face between his warm hands. A tender kiss found its way to Ren's lips, heart fluttering from the romantic gesture. "I want to put a baby in you so bad." Nevermind, Ren took back what he felt.

"God Mammon, way to kill the moment with your grossness." 

"Oh babe please. Just one kid? I'll be a good daddy!" Mammon swore, eyes pleading like this was something that was physically possible.

"You are _so_ gross." 

(Ren secretly likes it.)

-


	10. Frisky Firsts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Who would've thought a human could do this to Lucifer?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> explicit sexual content warning!! seriously, this chapter is largely mega filth so read at your own discretion! also this chapter had me change the rating of this fic LMAOOO. anyway, enjoy the smut if you like!

"Is there a reason you've invited me to such a fancy place?" Ren curiously questioned, hand underneath his chin as he leaned onto the table. Lucifer cleared his throat, readjusting his collar as Ren's eyes dissected him. He cheekily smiled, fingers drumming beneath his bottom lip while Lucifer's attention fixed itself there. "You look very handsome tonight Lucifer."

"Heh, I didn't realize you were in such a mood this evening. And Ristorante Six isn't all that fancy. Just thought I would take my beautiful man out for a nice dinner." There was something different about Ren, something Lucifer couldn't quite figure out. At the risk of sounding spiritual, he thought Ren's aura felt... different. Less of a shy schoolboy and more of an adult. He liked it. It was a nice change from always being the commandeering one, not that Lucifer didn't mind being a dominant lover. After all, having power over someone did stroke his ego a bit.

They'd already ordered, made light conversation and gave each other "the eyes" when silence fell over them. Every time Ren turned to the side to look at the bustling crowd in the restaurant, Lucifer took a few seconds to appreciate his features. Had Ren been losing some weight? His jawline was looking rather pronounced tonight. Maybe it was just the dark lighting of the place doing him a favor. Whatever it could be, Lucifer couldn't ignore how dashing his Ren looked underneath the sultry lights and his unmistakeable flirtatious demeanor. Nothing like the bashful student he first was when they met.

Ever since their chat about fulfilling the deed, the eldest brother began to notice every little detail about his lover. The way thick strands of Ren's hair would curl on his forehead in a Clark Kent manner when it started to get long. How soft, yet strong his hands felt when they held Lucifer's face for a passionate kiss. He was sure Ren never had a blister. And when he walked in, the subtle sway of his hips accompanied by a beaming smile and those pants, oh, _those_ pants that hugged Ren's thighs in the best possible way. It was painful not to ravish him in the booth they were sat at.

"What mood? I'm just enjoying the view," Ren coyly offered. He took a sip of his drink, watching the way Lucifer gulped at the action. He couldn't help but laugh. "Cat got your tongue? You're normally resistant to my masculine charms." A part of Ren was proud, proud that while Lucifer could pin him up against a wall and get him all hot and bothered, he could produce an equally distressing effect.

"Ha! Wow, is it a bit hot in here? I feel like it's become a bit temperate for my liking. Perhaps I'll remove my coat." There were very few occurrences Lucifer had been nervous throughout his lifetime. Most of those were when he reported back to Diavolo about a perceived failure to which, only one time, Diavolo had punished him with a slap on the wrist. Literally. Diavolo asked Lucifer to face his palm up and remove his glove, giving the man a firm slap on his wrist. But now, he had become anxiety ridden for seemingly no apparent reason.

It could be Ren's new persona had thrown him for a loop, making him rethink how much power he truly has. He felt practically naked, stranded in unfamiliar land without a map to help navigate. He was no novice to courting someone, but this date (could he even call it a date?) was something he desperately wanted to do right. From previous encounters, he predicted Ren to be sweet and shy, that'd he'd be thanking him for making time to see him. But the Ren that sat in front of him? That Ren made Lucifer feel honored to be in _his_ presence.

With every passing minute, it become more and more evident that Ren had changed from his first day. He was now the star human student who fought off Fiends at a carnival and tamed the beast of the forest, Cerberus. Thank the universe Diavolo saw something in Ren's file when it fell on his desk. Lucifer thought he looked like any other weak human, unfit for the experiment. He was gravely mistaken. That "weak human" was now his love, a person he would endlessly treasure and adore for the rest of his existence.

Finally, their food came. Ren wolfed down everything on his plate while Lucifer anxiously poked and prodded at his meal. He took a few bites here and there before realizing Ren had scraped his plate clean. "Not hungry Lucifer?" Ren asked, patting at his mouth with a napkin. Lucifer was really off his game tonight, barely touching his food and meandering through his thoughts. 

What was wrong? What happened to the shamelessly forward Lucifer who never missed a beat? The one who made Ren's cheeks constantly give a fierce blush when they first started getting to know one another? He didn't recognize who this man was, the man he was being, so timid and doubtful. 

"Hey." Ren interrupted his thoughts, a hand reaching out across the table to rest on top of his. "What do you say we pay and go back to my dorm?" Ren suggested, supplying a sympathetic closed-mouth smile. Lucifer agreed, Ren beating him to the tab and paying for their meals. The waiter would certainly appreciate the generous tip. 

-

"So," Ren started, hanging his coat on his desk chair, "care to tell me why you're acting strange tonight?" Damn. Lucifer should've known his behavior wouldn't go unnoticed. On their pleasantly quiet walk back to the academy, Lucifer found the root of his nerves. 

"Ren, I have to be honest with you. Please sit." Taking a seat on the bed with Ren, Lucifer took hold of his hands. "Forgive me for my odd nature at dinner. I wanted to do our date justice and I was just having so many doubts. But as we walked back here, I figured it out." Lucifer took a deep breath, closing his eyes and giving himself a few moments to collect his thoughts. He was terrified to admit this, but their relationship had been built on communication and honesty. No sense in stopping that now.

"This isn't who I am. You know that Ren. I'm not some ball of nerves that shuts down. I'm prideful, strong, fierce and stubborn. I know what I want and I relentlessly pursue it. But... this? You? I-I'm always so afraid to lose it, or disappoint you. I know that you're not exclusively mine, but it's exhausting keeping this from you. I'm foolishly in love with you and it's a right bitch holding it in at times."

Ren's face hurt from how much he was smiling, how unashamed Lucifer was being with his feelings. But the man was far from done.

"When I'm not busy attending to my duties around the academy, you fill my every thought. It physically pains me to not be around you. I'd hold you and kiss you forever if I could. I understand that I may be coming on very strong right now, but I can't bring myself to care. I want you to know, I _need_ you to know how you make me feel. I feel perfectly privileged that you even look my way. Words will never be remotely enough to describe how I am so unabashedly in love with you."

"Never would've pegged you to be such a sap," Ren snickered, squeezing Lucifer's hand affectionately. "I don't have a romantic speech planned, and to be honest I'm bad with words. But I feel the same, or at least similarly. It sounds crazy, falling head over heels for six guys. I'm still getting used to it myself, but I know what I'm feeling. And I know what I feel for you specifically." 

It was Lucifer's turn to have a big grin plastered to his face. The heavy feeling in his chest had subsided knowing that Ren was reciprocating what he felt. He knew how intense demons can be with their affections and didn't want to scare Ren off.

"I haven't been entirely honest with you either," Ren admitted, letting go of Lucifer's grasp and wringing his hands. "Back at the restaurant, that wasn't really me. I've adopted this new personality in a way. It's to help me be more confident and secure in a place where I feel like every day is unplanned, some kind of adventure right around the corner. I thought I could try it out on you, to impress you in a way."

"My love, you should never feel the need to impress me. Besides, I may have a thing for that unassuming schoolboy shtick you have going already. It's very... alluring." Ren blushed, his normal self returning. Lucifer placed a hand at the back of Ren's neck and brought their faces close together, foreheads touching. "I swear I have never felt this way about anyone before. I love you."

Ren kissed him, muttering a small "love you so much too." Lucifer took the opportunity to deepen their kiss, pushing Ren onto his back and climbing on top of him. "Someone's excited," Ren joked, his hands resting on Lucifer's hips. 

"Too much talking," Lucifer said, attacking Ren's mouth once more. He moaned into the kiss, loving the authoritative side Lucifer typically bored when they were together. Soon, their kisses were no longer gentle, just lips and tongue and a carnal desire for one another. Ren fiercely groped at Lucifer's ass, kneading the clothed skin. Lucifer moved his focus from Ren's mouth to his neck, soft groans escaping from the victim's mouth. 

"I want to fuck you," Ren breathlessly confessed, fingers tangled in Lucifer's silky black hair. Lucifer stopped his assault on Ren's neck, shifting to hover above him. He looked down at his love below, Ren's eyes drowned out with need. 

"Are you sure, my Ren? No need to rush this." He would never forgive himself if Ren felt pressured to do this with him. 

"No, I know what I want. And I want you more than anything right now." Ren was firm, sitting up on his elbows and pecking Lucifer's mouth. 

"Alright my dear, but before we continue there's something you should be aware of." Lucifer cleared his throat, eyes flicking back and forth from Ren to the wall. "Well, when creatures like me are about to... finish, they transform into their demon form. Nothing crazy, my wings will sprout and my horns will appear. The transformation may cause some stimulation for you too, but you will have nothing to worry about."

"Oh, is that all?" Ren said snidely. It didn't sound like a bad deal, Lucifer was going to turn into his badass form at his peak. In fact, Ren thought it would be kind of sexy, in a "taming the beast" sort of way. Maybe he shouldn't say that out loud, it could be offensive to Lucifer.

"Yes and something else. This one is kind of hard to understand. My brothers and I are, in a sense, still 'animals.' So when we have sex with someone it's like we're mating with them. You might give off my scent to others for a while and it'll drive my siblings crazy, but also keep you safe from vicious creatures. Are you okay with that?"

"I think that's fine. Now can we please resume our fun?" Ren pulled Lucifer back on top of him, hands returning to the man's little bum. Though Ren had to admit, there wasn't _that_ much to grab, this was payback for all the times Lucifer (as Belphegor would put it) booty-knabbed him.

Lucifer smiled into their heated makeout, overcome with passion as he wanted to please Ren in any way he could. His lips wandered off to Ren's neck once more, his hand slipping underneath the boy's shirt to lift it up. Eventually, Ren let him remove the shirt, the item immediately tossed to the side. Lucifer sat up to hurriedly unbutton his own. Ren grew impatient, hooking his fingers between the buttons and ripping it open. He leaned forward and sloppily kissed at Lucifer's pecs and navel, occasionally glazing over his nipples. 

Lucifer's skin was soft, smooth, fair and unblemished. His stomach was flat and accompanied by abs, muscles Ren didn't think actually existed. It was absolutely nothing like Ren who sported body hair that covered the expanse of his broad chest and reached all the way down to form a happy trail. His tummy jutted out a little, round and not an ab in sight. But he wasn't going to let his own insecurities ruin this moment, not with a man who thought him to be the most perfect thing in existence.

Lucifer aggressively shoved Ren onto his back, attaching his lips to the middle of Ren's chest and working his way down. He swiftly undid Ren's belt and all but tore him out of his jeans. He was left nearly naked in only his underwear and socks, his hands finding their way to grab hold of Lucifer's hair. This was the farthest Ren had ever gotten with him, but he wanted more, he craved more. 

Lucifer nosed along Ren's straining bulge, savoring the large outline. He continued to mouth at it, only fabric separating his lips from the prize. Lucifer couldn't wait any longer, he grew frustrated with the foreplay and desperately needed all of Ren. 

The demon's deft fingers slipped underneath the waistband, pulling down as Ren's cock sprung free. "Sweet fucking Hell," Lucifer cursed, eyes raking over his entirety. 

"I-Is something wrong?" Ren ardently asked, hands still lost in Lucifer's raven locks. Did he not like what he saw? 

"Nothing is wrong, I just didn't know you were so... well-endowed," Lucifer replied, vision still focused on the large cock in front of him. It looked about as long as his head with an offensive thickness to it. Lucifer genuinely wondered if this would hurt him, his hand unable to fully wrap around its girth. Were all human men like this down here? Lucifer wasn't exactly a size queen, preferring to submit to men who were more moderate below the belt. Maybe offering to bottom wasn't such a great idea...

"Please Lucifer," Ren begged, writhing beneath him. He felt Lucifer's breath tickle his cock, leg reflexively twitching in anticipation. Lucifer licked a stripe up the underside, pulling back the foreskin and circling his tongue around the head. Ren let out a load moan, fingers holding tightly onto Lucifer's hair. Lucifer groaned at the roughness, slipping the head into his mouth. Ren was immediately lost in the wet heat of his lover's mouth, soft mewls escaping his lips with every suck and swallow that was made to his cock.

Lucifer had to double fist Ren's massive manhood, barely able to take even half of it down his throat. His mind had become hazy with lust, the overpowering urge to please him completely taking over. Tears pricked at his eyes with each attempt to swallow the monstrous organ occupying his throat. Lucifer choked at one point, quickly pulling off to sputter out a few coughs before immediately resuming his task. It barely even gave Ren time to be concerned. 

Although he wished it was much smaller so he could perform a better job, a guilty part of him loved this. Loved being between Ren's thick thighs, trying his best to swallow him down. Loved the scent of Ren's musk as it filled his senses and he loved having such a big cock invade his small mouth. His lips were stretched thin, jaw going as wide as he could make it to accompany Ren's cock. 

Lucifer feverishly sucked him, hand pumping in tandem with what his mouth couldn't fit. He fisted the top of Ren's cock, pushing the foreskin back over the head. He swirled his tongue around the skin before slightly retracting it again, tongue dipping in to flick at Ren's slit. 

Ren was losing it, he needed to look at Lucifer. His eyes had been shut the whole time, mouth agape from the airy moans that kept leaving his mouth. His eyes peered down but he instantly regretted it, his cock threatening to explode from the sight alone. They locked eyes at the same time, Lucifer with his mouth stuffed full of cock and Ren whimpering a soft "fuck" at the scene. Lucifer was bobbing his head and sucking on Ren like he was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted, the man filthily moaning while excitedly fulfilling his activity. It was an awfully lewd view, Ren's cock shiny with saliva and Lucifer's mouth smeared with a mix of his precum and spit. 

"Taste so fucking good," Lucifer briefly entreated before returning to slurp at his cock. Everything about this was absolutely adulterous, wanton. Ren never thought he'd able to come from a blowjob alone, but if Lucifer kept going for another second he was certain he'd shoot down his throat. As much as he'd love to see Lucifer swallow his load, they still had other plans.

Ren remembered Lucifer's words to him, "don't be gentle." If that was his wish, then he would make sure it'd come true. Time to put the porn he'd been watching to use!

Ren grabbed a fistful of Lucifer's hair, yanking him off his cock. Lucifer whined at the contact, partly at the loss of Ren in his mouth and partly from the abrupt, belligerent action. Quickly recalling his request to the boy however, he was suddenly very turned on by the overt display of force. 

"You miss my cock?" Ren sneered, hand still ruggedly pulling at the back of Lucifer's hair. Lucifer nodded, a pleased hum emanating from his throat. He liked this side of Ren, assertive, strong and commanding. He was already so horny from blowing him, ashamed of how much he enjoyed it, the bulge in his pants yearning to be released from its confines. Lucifer's mouth hung open, short gasps of pleasurable pain coming out from having his hair pulled.

"I need you inside me. Please Ren." His tone was beseeching, like if Ren wasn't inside him within the next minute he might die. He removed the hand in his hair and pushed Ren back down onto the bed, scrambling to rid himself of all his clothes. Ren tossed his socks to the side in the discarded heap of clothes, both men becoming fully naked. He took a moment to admire how captivating Lucifer looked, hair disheveled, body toned and lean, cock hanging heavy with neglect.

Lucifer sat on top of Ren, leaning down to kiss him. Ren grabbed at Lucifer's bare ass, rubbing and smacking at the exposed skin. The spanks to his ass made him sensuously moan into Ren's mouth. "Need it now," he insisted, reaching behind him and guiding Ren's cock to his hole.

"Wait, don't you need to be prepped?" Ren took hold of Lucifer's arm, not wanting to rush and potentially hurt him. From the videos he'd seen, the men prepared their partners before entering them. Maybe Lucifer had already prepped himself?

"No, that's a human thing. I self-lubricate when you start to push in and my body knows how much to adjust," Lucifer explained, warding off any further worries. Ren thought that was pretty handy, albeit a bit weird. "Thanks for the concern though, my love." Lucifer bent down to press a kiss to Ren's forehead, sitting upright again. 

He lifted himself up slightly, lining Ren's cock to his opening again. He slowly sank down, letting just the head pierce his body and gave himself a few seconds to adjust. Upon entry, Ren was met with a stimulatingly warm liquid allowing him to easily penetrate Lucifer. After Lucifer had fully buried him to the hilt, his cock was covered in the substance. It was a sensation he'd never forget, the pleasant temperature of it creating a warm fuzziness along with Lucifer's insides hugging him so tightly. He was afraid he wouldn't last very long with the combination of all the excitement hounding his cock. 

"I'm going to start moving now," Lucifer warned, sensing Ren's cock already twitching for release. Ren mumbled a weak "mhm" as Lucifer started to roll his hips. He placed his hands on Ren's chest for support, beginning to develop a rhythm while he worked the man inside him. Ren returned his hands on Lucifer's hips, grip hard and unwavering, but ultimately letting Lucifer take the lead. He assisted Lucifer's movements, the man beginning to bounce on his cock now. "Nngh, oh fuck!" Lucifer cried out. Ren was hitting his sweet spot, cock rubbing against it every time Lucifer's body gulped him down again. 

With his body well adjusted to Ren's size, Lucifer was going mad. His head was thrown back, hands holding at Ren's calves to steady himself. He was just _so_ big, bigger than he'd ever taken and bigger than he'd expected. Lucifer expected his cock to be fairly sizeable from the times they dry humped when making out, but those expectations were nothing like the massive rod currently fucking him senseless.

Ren thought he looked beautiful like this, face painted with ecstasy as Lucifer gracefully fucked himself on Ren's cock. He sat up, an arm coming behind Lucifer's body to pull him close to his chest. He kissed at the expanse of Lucifer's chest, one hand reaching between their bodies to relieve his poor, abandoned cock. Ren hastily jerked him off, Lucifer yelling a series of unintelligible grunts. The friction was getting to be too much, Ren was going to come soon and he knew Lucifer would too.

Nearing his orgasm, Lucifer's body started radiating an aura, a physical telltale sign to Ren that he was going to come soon. Ren stopped Lucifer, fully seating him on his cock and tightening his hold on his companion's hips. He began hastily fucking into the man, the action primitive and boorish. Lucifer balanced himself with his hands on Ren's shoulders, feeling like his body was going to give out from the intense arousal permeating his body. Ren's thrusts were untimely, the efforts of an amateur, but Lucifer couldn't bring himself to care. He felt it too, the aura building, his wings beginning to form behind him and his horns taking their place atop his head.

"Fuck, I'm gonna come!" Lucifer shouted. With a few more well placed thrusts and a dexterous thumb rubbing at his tip, he shot all over Ren's chest and stomach, his wings fully outstretched and horns in full view. Lucifer's own orgasm pushed Ren over the edge, his cock suffocated with a flurry of arousing friction from the release of aura. He quickly followed suit, finishing with quiet moans and spilled his seed inside Lucifer. To his surprise, he didn't anticipate how _long_ the aura would make him come as his cock spasmed for nearly an entire minute.

Lucifer felt so full, his ass still packed full with Ren's cock and cum, some of the fluid slipping out. Normally, Lucifer would be disgusted, the urge to be clean becoming his top priority. But this was the love of his life, so he didn't mind as much. Eventually, Ren softened and slid out of Lucifer, the demon still sat on his lap. His wings had lowered, shrouding them in an intimate moment as they each recovered, chests still heaving. 

"Holy shit," Ren panted, a toothy grin making its way to his face. His hands remained on Lucifer's hips and he placed a kiss on his jaw. His forehead rested on Lucifer's chest, Lucifer cradling him with a hand affectionately combing through his hair. "Man, I fucking love you." It was mumbled amongst delicate kisses to the oldest's chest, but the sentiment made him elated nonetheless. 

"I love you too, my beautiful Ren." Lucifer placed a kiss to his partner's hair, indulging in the sweet moment just a little longer. "However, my dear, I think it best we clean up. I have your cum in my ass still." 

Ren snorted, finding the directness of the statement amusing. "Alright, let's wash up."

-

After a purifying shower, the two of them laid in bed, comfortably snuggling in only their underwear. Ren's head rested on Lucifer's chest, his arm thrown around his suitor's abdomen. Lucifer was on his back, head supported by fluffy pillows with his fingers weaving in and out of Ren's damp hair, eyes closed in peaceful bliss. 

"I'm glad we did that, it meant a lot to me," Ren softly spoke, thumb gliding in circles on Lucifer's sides. Lucifer peered down at the boy below him, his heart bombarded with those pesky "soft" feelings he'd grown accustomed to. In the past, he would try any methods to abate his feelings, often casting them to the side as unimportant and juvenile. But when it came to Ren, even the thought of that pinned a knife in his heart. 

"Good. I hope your first time will be one you cherish, and it meant a lot to me as well. Come up here." Lucifer tugged at Ren's arm, pulling him farther up the bed so they were face to face now. "I'm yours for as long as you'll have me." 

Ren was over the moon, his first time being everything he pictured. Although, one thing still troubled him. "I'm just bothered you made it too much about me and not enough about you. I wanted to make you feel good too, you know," Ren said, his fingers ticklishly traveling up and down Lucifer's arm. 

"Oh, you _certainly_ made me feel good. A little too good if I'm being honest. I'm not as young as I once was, Ren. You can't just ravage my body like that!" It was a mocking scold, obviously not meant to be taken seriously. Though, Lucifer was half telling the truth. Despite being practically immortal, his body was certainly slowing down on how often he could be sexually active or how much force he could exert in one go. In the olden days, he could go for hours, multiple rounds without being totally satisfied. Now? The thought of a round two sounded tiresome. 

Ren snickered at his statement, nosing at Lucifer's cheek before kissing it. "Aww, my little old man. Soon we'll have to put you in a retirement home."

"Hey! I'm not that old," Lucifer grumbled, his eyebrows knitting together in a displeased frown. He hadn't thought he aged too bad, but thousands of years of living was sure to bog anyone down at some point.

"Yeah yeah, whatever grandpa. Just be sure to leave me some money in your will."

"You are as cruel as you are beautiful. How I got so lucky, I'll never know." He pressed a kiss to Ren's lips, his hand reaching to cup the side of his cheek. He could do this forever, lay next to the person he was stupidly infatuated with. Perhaps, with old age, Lucifer had also opened up his heart. 

He flipped over onto his side, pressing his back to Ren's chest. He searched for Ren's hand behind him, snatching it and pulling the whole limb around him to cuddle his body. "But I wanted to be small spoon!" Ren protested. Here we go again...

"You slammed excessively against my insides, I deserve this," Lucifer retorted. He was already beginning to close his eyes, sleep mere minutes away. 

"Ugh... fine."

-


	11. Daily Domestics

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren does some spring cleaning and makes dinner!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you to everyone who has been leaving sweet comments and kudos, i super appreciate it! here's a celebratory sweet and fluffy chapter for u :D

"Holy hell." Holy hell was a bit of an understatement for the disaster that appeared before Ren. 

Leviathan invited him over to his room because it'd been a while since they last hung out alone, and truth be told Ren missed his company. Even if he could be annoying at times, it was endearing. However, Ren was barely able to take a few steps past the door. Crumpled chip bags, empty water bottles, dirty clothes and an assortment of manga littered the floor. There were crumbs scattered about and cobwebs had formed at the corners of the ceiling. When was the last time Leviathan cleaned this place?

"Hey, you're here!" Leviathan happily exclaimed, popping up from his desk chair. "You can just kick all that stuff aside." 

"Uhh, Levi, I don't mean to be rude. I'm happy to see you, but your place is a bit of a mess." Ren took another look around the room. Even the bed was covered with miscellaneous items. Who knows what bugs could be hiding underneath these mounds of trash. It wasn't just a typical messy boy room, it was borderline Hoarders. 

"What? Is it? Do you want to help me clean?" He expected Leviathan to be defensive, write off his comments as Ren being a neat freak. It was nice to have him take criticism without retaliation and this was definitely an offer Ren was not going to pass up. He planned to fully Marie Kondo this pigpen. 

"I will on two conditions," Ren said, holding up his fingers. He loved Leviathan, but that man was as lazy as they can get. He was worse than Belphegor at times. 

"Okay, what are they?" 

"One. You actually have to help me clean." That got an immediate groan, Leviathan rolling his eyes and crossing his arms. You'd think after thousands of years of living, one would stop acting like a five year old. "And two. You didn't even give me a hello kiss. Very rude." 

"Oh, I think I can do that!" Leviathan squeaked. He kicked over a few chip bags and made his way to Ren. "Ah, can you close your eyes. It's embarrassing when you look at me like that."

"Like what?" Ren teased, the corners of his mouth turned upwards in an inviting smolder. Leviathan's face went red, his hands quickly tucking into his pockets as he avoided Ren's intense gaze. 

"Like _that!_ You have too much power over me with that look. I bet all your fanboys love it."

"Alright fine. My eyes are closed." Ren squeezed his eyes shut. Leviathan's hands held Ren's hips and he placed a fluttery kiss on his lips. His hands lingered, Leviathan deciding to go in for another kiss since Ren's eyes were still closed.

"C-Can we just... do this instead?" Leviathan shyly suggested, his bangs covering his eyes as he looked down at the floor. Ren didn't need to see his face to know it was probably beet red. Leviathan could be just as forward as his brothers, but he was always a little timid about it. However, it's a major step for them whenever he initiates considering the first time Leviathan met Ren he said "you just _look_ stupid."

As much as Ren would love to kiss him silly, there was nowhere for them to do it in this disaster stricken room. "Oh you're not getting out of this that easy. C'mon, start picking up stuff." Leviathan whined, reluctantly swiping the trash on his floor.

The first part of business was cleaning the floor. This was definitely the most problematic area before they could reach anywhere else. A few stuffed trash bins later and a magic snap of the fingers sent the garbage elsewhere. Leviathan didn't really explain where it went, or how he could perform magic at the snap of his fingers, but Ren was just happy it was out of sight.

Then, they continued on to Leviathan's bed and desk. Ren helped reorganize all of his dispersed manga back onto a book shelf in alphabetical order and by volume number. Leviathan cleaned up any remaining chip bags, soda cans and lingering cobwebs. An hour later and with a more hygienic living space, the two fell on the bed, exhausted. 

"You know, I feel like I should be wearing a maid outfit," Ren said, wiping off forming sweat from his forehead. It'd really only taken them an hour to fix the room, but cleaning sure can work up a sweat. Leviathan might resent him at first for forcing him to tidy up his room, but he'd thank him in the end. 

"Oh, like a sexy maid outfit?" That made Ren snort, both of them bursting into a giggle fit. "Okay, now that my room is beautiful once more, may we resume a better activity?" 

"Absolutely." Ren pulled Leviathan on top of him, making the man squeal as he was firmly placed on Ren's thighs. Leviathan took Ren's face in his hands while he leaned down to capture his mouth, his kisses frequent and imperative. It felt like he was set on demolishing Ren's mouth, they were kissing so fast. Maybe this was just all of his pent up energy surfacing? Whatever it could be, Ren loved it. 

It'd taken a while for them to work up to this. In the beginning, Leviathan barely let them kiss. And the first time they made out, he got so worked up he accidentally came in his pants. After that, well, it took a few weeks before he let Ren even touch him again. But, Ren was able to force him into having a chat about it and they were able to develop an understanding for what the other wanted. Leviathan admitted to having sexual desires just as much as his brothers, but that he tended to lack experience in that department. After all, devoting a lifetime of loyal servitude to Ruri-chan is a full time job that has no breaks!

Despite some initial obstacles, they were here now, Leviathan ferociously attacking Ren's mouth and practically dry humping him. Leviathan took an opportunity to shove Ren onto his back, his lips finding their way to the other's neck. Unfortunately, the trek across Ren's beautiful tan skin was short lived as Leviathan stopped almost immediately upon placing a kiss there. 

"Hmm, what's wrong?" Ren asked, sitting up and rubbing at Leviathan's arms. The blue-haired boy was looking away, his bangs concealing his eyes with an upset pout planted on his mouth. Ren thought it must've been too much too fast. They'd only just started going a few steps past second base.

"You had sex with Lucifer, didn't you?" It wasn't accusatory, more like a statement rather than a question. If anything, he seemed a little hurt by it. Lucifer gave Ren some type of masking cologne that would ward off the smell to the brothers. He didn't apply it today because he thought the smell would've warn off by now. Guess he was wrong.

"Are you upset about it?" Ren's question came out way more timid than he'd wanted. In all honesty, he was scared for Leviathan's reaction. He'd been known to be insanely jealous as he is the Avatar of Envy.

"I'm jealous, obviously. I... I want to do those things too. But I don't think you see me like that." Leviathan's hands balled into fists, his frustration beginning to boil. "It's just not fair! Everyone gets to touch you! And ogle at you like you're this big slab of meat that gets passed around! I get it, we all agreed to this. I just hate actually knowing those guys act on their desires."

"Hey, it's okay," Ren cooed, soft and a tad patronizing. He took Leviathan's hands, tugging at them so he would face him again. "If you want to do stuff, just tell me. We've had to work to get where we are now and that's okay. Our relationship is a little different, but that's why it's special. Don't ever feel like you have to hide what you want from me."

"Ugh... you make everything so much better. How unfair." Leviathan fake pouted, his lips turning up into a grin. He took Ren's face in his hands again and smashed a big, loving kiss to his mouth. It kind of hurt, but it was from Leviathan so he'd let it slide. "No matter how many fanboys or fangirls you have, I'll always be number one. And don't you forget it!"

"Yessir!" Ren saluted, laughing and kissing the man sat on him. The duo bathed in each other's company for a while, innocently kissing and holding each other, exchanging soft touches and sweet backrubs. 

"You know, that was pretty domestic of us. To clean my room. It's like we're married!" 

"I'd be a pretty great husband, huh?" Ren winked.

"The best. C'mon, let's capture the moment and make the others super jealous." Leviathan had Ren pose in front of his bed, Ren holding a thumbs up and with a satisfied smirk aimed at the camera. Leviathan took the pic and flipped his camera around so they could take a selfie. He pointed his phone upward and huddled close to Ren, throwing up a peace sign. Ren held a kiss to Leviathan's cheek causing the other to smile big and bright. He uploaded the photo to Devilgram and promptly received many comments.

"Gross!" with a puke emoji commented Mammon while Lucifer said "Very endearing." Asmodeus poked fun at Leviathan for actually having a clean room. It was nice to know Ren could be a positive influence in his life, even if it was for something as trivial as tidying his room. 

"Hey... bet you can't beat me at Street Fighter!" Leviathan suddenly challenged, poking Ren's shoulder. 

"Oh, you're going down."

-

A couple days later, Ren was packing up at band practice. The rehearsal went smoothly, the group selected a set list for their next gig and they started to work on the first song. They played around with the key of it, deciding whether or not to up it as high as Ren wanted.

"I don't know Ren. You can belt your head off no question, but if you raise it this high you're on a high E most of the time. Not to mention the ad libbed G," Mammon warned. Mammon was infamous for being an airhead, but when it came to music he really knew his stuff. "That's the middle to upper part of your range, I don't want to wear out your voice on our opening number."

"Relax Mammon. Lucifer set me up with a voice coach and we've been working diligently. My higher belt is a lot more sustainable than it used to be, so trust me when I say it's fine." Ren really was thankful for that teacher Lucifer put him with. The lessons counted as a full class and fulfilled his art requirement for the academy, and it also let Ren polish his skills. "Plus, that's why our second song is a lot less demanding and why our closing number is a rock ballad with only one big high note in the bridge." 

"Alright. I trust you. And you've never disappointed me before. Rock out babe!" The first complete run of the song went well, Ren nailing the high notes with ease, not an ounce of strain on his voice. The group gave each other a celebratory high five and called it a day, ending the practice with six boxes of pizza (five were for Beelzebub).

Lucifer and Mammon split off while Beelzebub stayed behind to help Ren put the mic away. "Ren, I wanted to ask you something."

"Sure thing Beelz, what's up?" Ren methodically put away the last of the equipment before Beelzebub snapped his fingers and it magically returned to its unknown area of storage. 

"I don't get to sit by you at meals a lot and it makes me sad. So I want to make a meal with you tonight."

"Aww, does my Beelzebub miss me?" Ren chuckled, his hands on his hips with a cocked eyebrow. He loved to relentlessly badger Beelzebub about his soft side, the lovable guy often unable to tell if he was being genuinely made fun of for it. Most of the time Beelzebub would be crushed, eyes downturned in a state so melancholic Ren couldn't bear to tease him any longer. 

"Yes. Don't make fun of me for it, it really hurts my feelings," he frowned. He turned his back away from Ren, his hands shielding his face as he started crying.

"Beelzebub, I'm so sorry!" Ren quickly apologized. He swiftly made his way to the emotionally battered brother, a consoling hand placed on his back. "I didn't mean to hurt your feelings like that! You know I love you so much and I love all of your sweet sentiments. I'm sorry if I brushed off your feelings and I promise I won't do it again. You mean so much to me, please don't cry." Ren's heart sunk and he felt his face grow hot with burning guilt. Wow, how could he be so dismissive to Beelzebub? 

Without warning, Beelzebub stopped crying and practically squeezed Ren half to death in a monstrous hug. "Hehe, I got you," Beelzebub muttered, his chin resting on Ren's head. 

"Beelzebub!" Ren exclaimed, slamming a fist on the sturdy torso smothering him. "I really felt like an asshole, oh my god don't ever do that again!" Ren really couldn't be _that_ made. His snark was eventually bound to bite him in the ass someday. Today just happened to be that day.

"Why? It gets you to say all those lovely things to me. And I get to hold you like this." Beelzebub hummed, breathing in the scent of Ren's shampoo. By now, Lucifer's aural stench had completely warn off so now all that remained was Ren's regular body wash. Beelzebub enjoyed the familiarity of ocean breeze that soaked Ren's entire body. His deodorant even had a similar fragrance. 

"Because it's at my emotional expense! And also... I would feel awful if I ever actually made you cry like that. I don't think I would forgive myself." Ren despised upsetting people, especially his partners. The people pleaser within him never wanted to create conflict where it wasn't needed. He could be sarcastic with a deadpan sense of humor, but when it came down to it, he would always be devoted, loving and kind. It brought him some peace of mind to know Beelzebub was just reciprocating the teasing, but he hoped they could talk through any potential problems in the future.

"Aww, you're so nice. But I'm getting hungry and I want to make food with you. Let's go to Akuzon and get some ingredients!" Beelzebub took Ren's hand and they made their way to the store. Ren wondered what recipe he had planned...

-

"Fiend noodle soup!" Beelzebub cheerfully declared. The second they stepped in the store, it took all of the restraint Beelzebub could muster not to consume every item on the shelf. And also eat the entire building. Having a bottomless stomach could be such a drag.

"Listen Beelz, I would love to make something with you, but I'm not sure I can eat... Fiend." Whenever meals rolled around, Ren was always given a special plate for human food. The regular menu consisted of bat blood, witch warts and eye of newt. All things Ren was fairly certain would be fatal to his health. 

"Oh, don't worry! I picked up that human meat everyone likes. Chicken! I had it once, very yummy." Beelzebub rubbed his stomach in mock satisfaction and gave a thumbs up. They continued searching through the store, mostly because Beelzebub's snack reserves had been running low. His monthly expense for food was... upsetting, to Lucifer's wallet at least. Ren personally picked out some other snacks safe for his eating, checking the ingredients for any hidden "added flavors." The chocolate candies down here were often enriched with gremlin intestine or a warlock's toenail clipping. After one fatefully mistaken purchase, Ren was on the toilet for six hours.

"I forgot one last thing," Beelzebub said while Ren examined a shelf of tasty looking PopTarts. 

"Yeah? What is it?" Ren was too busy salivating over the cinnamon and s'mores flavors to notice Beelzebub walking behind him. He snaked his arms around Ren's stomach and gave Ren's neck a delicate nibble. His teeth grazed the surface of Ren's skin, the force of his bite benign. However, Beelzebub decided to clamp down a little harder, Ren squawking in surprise.

"Beelz! Not here... you know my neck is sensitive." Something about that area of his body was a weak spot, Ren always succumbing to someone's will if they found it. Beelzebub had no problem exploiting it. What an evil man...

"Mmm, but you're the tastiest thing here," Beelzebub insisted, arms still wrapped firmly around Ren. He gave one last tormentive lick to Ren's neck then headed for the checkout section. Ren had completely forgotten about the PopTarts, attention more focused on _not_ popping a boner in a grocery store.

He was going to get Beelzebub back for that. After all, Lucifer had crowned him the king of giving blue balls. 

-

The kitchen is often thought to be a big test of a relationship's integrity. Luckily, Ren and Beelzebub were acing it. Or... at least getting a solid B minus. For two novice cookers, the soup they made turned out pretty decent. Beelzebub had to make a much larger serving to satisfy himself while Ren stuck to a single small pot. A few under-measurements and taste tests later, they had cooked up some pretty okay soup. Soon, Ren would be giving Martha Stewart a run for her money. 

Beelzebub offered to give Ren a sip of his soup, but the dreary looking red and green hue of it was off putting to say the least. He was also making dessert as well to which Ren delightedly agreed to try. It is pretty difficult to mess up brownies and a special batch was made just for Ren's human tastes. 

"Here, just try this while I stir." Beelzebub dipped a finger into the brownie batter and held it to Ren's mouth. This was payback time. Ren sucked Beelzebub's finger in his mouth, swirling his tongue around the digit. The action was slow, purposeful and sensual. He let the finger sit in his mouth a little longer even after it'd been licked clean. Beelzebub watched with a nervous gulp, the sensation of Ren's encompassing lips overwhelming his thoughts. "I-I, well I, uh, umm... I don't think that, uh, that..."

"Something the matter, Beelz?" Ren innocently questioned, letting the finger fall from his mouth. He kissed Beelzebub on the cheek, the taller man staring down at him wide eyed. He looked like he was about ready to strip Ren naked right in the kitchen for the whole academy to see.

"I suddenly have a new craving." Beelzebub abandoned his baking duties to launch an assault on Ren's face, but the would-be prey averted the attack. Ren held up a finger that separated their faces, ultimately blocking Beelzebub from obtaining his prize.

"Ah ah! Behave yourself Beelz or the brownies will burn. No fraternizing in the kitchen!" Ren reprimanded. Revenge is so sweet, so very, very sweet.

"You are not a nice boy sometimes."

-

Post dinner, the couple were laying on Ren's bed and snuggling. Beelzebub was resting his head on Ren's chest, his arm slung over the other's side. He'd asked if Ren wanted to "fool around" a bit, but he declined. Trying to be frisky with all of that liquid sloshing around in his stomach was just asking for a spontaneous vomit incident. 

"Ren?" 

"Yes Beelz?"

"I wanted to ask you something. And I want you to be honest." His tone sounded serious, like it had been nagging at him for a while. Ren wondered what it could be. Did he want to be the little spoon? Maybe he really wished Ren gave his Fiend soup a chance? Or perhaps the blue balls revenge plot was too cruel? 

"Yeah, go ahead."

"Okay, I've seen the way Lucifer has been looking at you. Did you... go all the way?" This was the second time this week Ren was going to have this conversation. He expected the brothers to find out eventually, but it's also like they were psychic too. Ren sighed and looked down at Beelzebub who was waiting for a response. 

"Yeah, we did. Are you mad at me?" 

"No, but I want to do that at some point too. You mean a lot to me." Beelzebub scooted up a bit and kissed Ren on his forehead. Ren smiled as the other man pulled him close, their bodies perfectly molding together. "Did you think I would be upset at you?"

"I don't really know. I was hoping you wouldn't, but I know some of you guys don't like how close I am to him. Especially Satan." For the most part, Satan usually kept his comments to himself. But every now and then he'd let a few comments slip. One time he flat out tried to turn Ren against Lucifer with a story that didn't paint the oldest in a flattering light.

"I don't care about that. I just care about you." Ren smiled into Beelzebub's chest, overcome with irresponsible excitement. Beelzebub didn't really mean to be, but his bluntness could be breathtakingly romantic. 

"You are such a lover boy. I wouldn't want it any other way." Ren gratefully pressed a kiss to Beelzebub's grinning mouth. Beelzebub returned the gesture, wrapping up Ren in his arms. He flipped the boy over like a piece of paper and huddled close to his backside.

"I want to be big spoon tonight," Beelzebub said, his nose coming to lounge against Ren's hair. The newly-declared little spoon was more than happy to accept this, tired from the countless nights where he had to cradle someone else.

Ren basked in the warmth of Beelzebub's embrace, content with his new position. He could get used to this. 

"I love you," Beelzebub said softly, his eyes yielding to the heaviness brought on by sleep.

"Mmm, love you too Beelz."

-

Sometime during the night, Ren became the big spoon. Oh well, it was nice while it lasted.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i have something planned for the next chapter u all are going to hate me for ;)


	12. Companionable Conflict

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ren makes a mistake. A big one.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOL THIS ONE IS A RIIIIIIDE

Math class was horridly boring today. Ren stared at the clock, begging for the hands to move faster. He tried paying attention several times, but his mind always wandered off, brain totally checked out from whatever was happening. A lot had recently been dumped on his plate, so it was fair to say that his thoughts were occupied with other important things than memorizing the quadratic formula. Several projects, a few papers and conflicting exam schedules piled themselves sky high in his brain. It was basically a catastrophe in there, his mind a cluttered mess. It was like the mini-me's in his head couldn't keep track of their office, files scattered about with the building lit on fire. 

Eventually, class ended and Ren waved Belphegor a flimsy goodbye. Normally, they would quietly chatter here and there throughout the class, but today Ren couldn't even bring himself to fake listening to his friend. Belphegor could tell something was off, but he chalked it up to "if he wants to talk about it, he will." And Ren didn't want to talk about it. 

He walked to his instructor's desk before leaving the room, hoping to work out his exam issue. "Hey Mr. Sato," Ren nervously began, standing directly in front of the teacher. For some reason his hands had begun to sweat, a sudden surge of anxiety hammering in his chest. Mr. Sato didn't look up at the voice greeting him, instead focusing on packing away his belongings. The lack of acknowledgement only furthered Ren's anxiety, the temperature in the room becoming uncomfortably hot. 

"Yes, Ren? What do you need?" His tone was sharp, abrasive, uninterested. Like he didn't really care for whatever was about to come out of Ren's mouth. It made the student's throat impossibly dryer, as if he'd be lucky to even croak out a few words. He started rubbing his thumb around in his palm, a habit that would distract his mind somewhat from the sensible hostility in his teacher's voice. 

"I wanted to talk to you about the upcoming exam. I know that it's online but it overlaps with my history exam by half an hour. I wouldn't be able to adequately complete that exam without sacrificing a huge chunk of my grade. And that professor told me she wouldn't move her testing time either. Is there any way you could move the time slot? Or I could take it earlier?" The whole time he talked, he knew his voice was shaky, disrupted by a few stumbling of words. He hoped his plight was clear.

"I'm sorry Ren, but I will not move the exam time. Besides, you weren't paying attention in class today. Why would you expect me to make special changes for a student who clearly shows no interest in their academics?" 

Ren got defensive immediately. "I've just had a lot on my mind lately, so sorry if I checked out today but that's untrue and you know it! That's not cool for you to make a grand assumption about me when I had one off day. How would you like it if I did that to you?" He crossed his arms, face hardened with obvious irritation. He knew better than to get snappy with his teacher, but this was the cherry on top of the shit-laced cake. He just needed _something_ to go right.

"My decision is final. You will need to seek an alternative for your exams. Have a good day." Ren opened his mouth to combat this ridiculous ruling with a string of inappropriate phrases, but sighed through his nose instead and said nothing. His throat felt tight, tears prickling at his eyes caused by piercing frustration. He stormed out of the classroom, slamming the door shut on his way out. He didn't want to act like a child throwing a temper tantrum, but this was blatantly unfair! Right?!

The walk back to his dorm was excruciatingly long. He couldn't bring himself to look up for fear that if somewhat stopped to ask what was wrong, he would uncontrollably burst into tears in the middle of the academy. Still wanting to keep some of his dignity, he ignored every passing voice that bid him hello, zooming past a few of the brothers as well. 

As soon as he shut his door, he tossed his backpack to the floor and flopped onto his bed. Face first into the pillows, hands grabbing at his hair, Ren sobbed. His body was wracked with sadness as he cried and cried into his pillows, shedding off the day's complications. He hated feeling so stuck, helpless almost. But he needed to let it out. All of the pent up stress with his studies, his relationships, the band, everything, it all came crashing down in one singular moment. It'd been a while since he cried like this, so distressed, disheartened beyond any ability to think comprehensively about his situation.

The tears didn't stop for a while, not until his eyes were shot red, his pillow was soaked and he had a pounding headache. He was then left with the aftermath, the "what now?" He really didn't know what to do now. What was there _to_ do? Both of his professor's said they weren't going to budge, so would he just have to accept a failing grade in one class?

He lazily sat up, wiping away the remaining wetness from his eyes and sniffling. It was hard to think with the pulverizing behind his eyes, just thinking seemed to be painful. Everything seemed painful. The room was too bright, the sounds of footsteps outside his door were blaring to his ears and he buried his face in his hands in a feeble attempt to fight off the unpleasant headache. 

His placating activities were disrupted by a short few taps at his door. It was a knock belonging to Lucifer, the only one polite enough to wait for a response before entering Ren's room. "Come in!" Ren weakly called. The post-sob tired out his throat, so hopefully the sound traveled past the wall.

Lucifer cracked open the door and peeked his head in. Concluding it safe to enter, he fully stepped into the room and closed it behind him. Ren looked defeated on the bed, slightly hunched over while his hands rested on his lap, head hung low. "Are you alright, my love?" Lucifer asked, soft, gentle and warm. But to Ren, it just sounded pitiful and patronizing. His thoughts still weren't entirely coherent, anger now taking the spot where sadness previously resided. Now he was just pissed off, the universe dishing out to him a great injustice. 

"Do I look alright?" Ren retorted. It was petty, juvenile, and he knew it. Lucifer didn't deserve that kind of cold treatment, but Ren was incapable of acting any other way. 

"Don't be like that Ren. Tell me what's bothering you." The negative energy festering inside of him was sickening. It physically made Ren feel ill and he was ashamed to know he was able to harbor such vicious emotions. It was selfish and wrong for him to aim it at Lucifer, an innocent person who only sought to comfort him. However, the thought of Lucifer pitying him, feeling sorry for him, it struck a sensitive nerve. A vile part of him cornered his worst fear, drawing it out into the light. That maybe Lucifer _did_ pity him. That maybe he was just an easy fuck for him and he was undeserving of his love. Even with all the work he put into dispelling something so awful, here it was, bearing its fangs and pleading for him to hurt Lucifer before he could hurt Ren.

"Well if you must know, _dear_." The iciness of Ren's words made Lucifer internally cringe, an abrupt one-eighty to his typical demeanor. "It's my stupid ass math teacher. I have conflicting exam schedules, but when I politely asked if he could move it for me or if I could take it earlier, he told me I basically need to figure something else out. He wasn't even willing to work with me, like what a douche! And my history teacher already told me she's not going to move her exam either, so now I'm fucked and have no idea what to do! Great!" Ren exasperated, letting out a humorless laugh at the end of his explanation.

Lucifer sat next to him, placing his hand on Ren's but he quickly snagged away from the contact. Lucifer didn't like this Ren, this Ren who wouldn't even let him touch him. "Love, let me help. I could talk to Diavolo and work out-"

"No!" Ren yelled, standing up from his bed and walking to the middle of the room. All of his seething rage was pouring out, bursting from its borders and shutting out any rational thought. "I hate when you do that! I'm not your damsel in distress, I don't always want you to come to my rescue! I'm not a fucking helpless human charity case. I can handle things myself." He was unreasonably agitated, and he knew it, but that voice in his head was persistent. It was a completely disastrous way to protect his heart, yet it made perfect sense in his troubled mind.

"Ren, please. Don't act like this, I only want to help you." How could he still be so calm, so patient with Ren? He deserved to get yelled at for this brattiness, so why wasn't Lucifer reacting with equal spite?

"Well maybe I don't want your fucking help! Do you ever think about that? That maybe, just for once in your narcissistic dense brain, that I don't need you?!" This was purposely malevolent, again Ren recognized that, he just couldn't stop himself. "You know I bet you think I'm this weak person, that I _need_ you to come save me. That I need big, strong Lucifer to come and rescue me from everything. Well fuck that. I don't! I'm not your problem and I don't need you to save me! If you wanted to go save something, try your fucked up family for a change!" 

Ren instantly regretted all of it. Everything that came out of his mouth, everything from the past few minutes of this talk, his disgusting, hateful words. He hated himself for it, for stooping this low, for throwing one of Lucifer's greatest burdens right in his face. His anger had subsided, but at a hefty price. Was it worth it? Were all of those unnecessarily foul remarks worth the "relief." He let his insecurities fuel the burning animosity that bubbled inside of him, allowing for a vindictive persona to take over.

When Ren looked at Lucifer, he knew the damage was done. The eldest sat there, mouth in a tight line, brow furrowed with his fists balled in his lap. "Lucifer I'm so sorry, I didn't mean that," Ren hastily retracted. He didn't, he really didn't mean any of that. So why did he say it? He knew the answer, and he felt like a piece of garbage for it. 

"No, you did," came Lucifer's soulless voice. If there was ever a line to cross, Ren had stepped way over it. "I... I think that we need to be apart. I'm going to leave now." Lucifer made a beeline for the door, avoiding eye contact with Ren. It hurt too much to look at him. 

Ren grabbed at Lucifer's arm as he tried to leave, stopping the man in his tracks. "Please Lucifer, we can talk about this. I'm so sorry, you have to believe me." He hated the way his voice broke, hated the way Lucifer wasn't turning around to look at him. He'd do anything to look in his eyes right now, he'd get on the floor and beg if he had to. Anything to stop him from walking out that door.

Lucifer pulled away, Ren's arm falling to his side. He wanted to look back at him, to see his beautiful Ren asking him to stay. But he couldn't, because what would that do? What was there to talk about? It was too fresh, too soon. The wound had just burst open, poking at it would do nothing except prolong the suffering. He was doing this for their relationship, so that their love could survive. 

Lucifer didn't speak. He exited the room and gently closed the door behind him, his heart slashed by a thousand cuts. The breath he let out was shaky, undignified, his composure ruffled. He fought off the water forming in his eyes, his pride dictating he never shed a tear in public, no matter how destroyed he felt inside. 

Ren returned to his bed, buried his face into his pillows and let out a muffled yell. "Why am I a piece of shit!" he screamed at no one in particular. This was worse than anything he could've done. Leave it up to him to take a perfectly good thing and blow it all to hell in a matter of minutes. Classic Ren. His head hurt even more now, the ache increasing tenfold. 

He was going to figure out a way to apologize. A way that would show his remorse, to show Lucifer he would never do this again. It needed to be personal, a reminder of the love they shared and how Ren was going to fight for it. Though right now, he needed to cool off, to rest his eyes and sleep on it. It'd been a contentious day, and even if the events of it plagued his mind as he tried to sleep, the impending slumber could offer some clarity. 

He made a promise to himself before dozing off, to do this for Lucifer. For the man who showed him unconditional love, even now, when he didn't deserve it. 

-

A few days later without any word from his lover and Ren thought he was going to lose his mind. His heart ached in every possible way, longing to see or be touched by Lucifer. After resolving the predicament with his exams by taking the issue up with Diavolo, Ren threw himself into Operation Lucifer. Several scribbles had been made in his notebooks to conjure up an idea for an apology, yet nothing seemed to accurately fit. Every idea didn't seem sincere enough, like it wouldn't mean as much as Ren wanted it to. 

Ren needed help, but he was so embarrassed and ashamed to ask for it. He'd basically been ignoring everyone for a few days now, going as far to switch seats in his classes so he wouldn't sit next to Belphegor. They'd tried texting him too, but Ren just muted all of their text notifications. Looking or speaking to the siblings after saying those terrible things to Lucifer was the last thing Ren wanted to do. It was cowardly, he should own up to what he said, but he really wanted to face one problem at a time. 

The boy groaned, laying on his bed and feeling burnt out from trying to think of ways that truly depicted his regret. Before being able to start another cycle of self-loathing, there were a few short pounds at Ren's door. Satan stepped in, uninvited and looking a bit distraught. "Where've you been? I haven't seen you for days and the only way I knew you were still alive was through Belphegor," the blond fussed, striding over to the bed. 

Ren was trapped now, backed into a space with no way out. Lying would be futile, it would probably just create further division if anything. Still, Ren desperately wanted to flee, to run away and suffer on his own. How could he admit his wrong doing, especially when it was _very_ wrong. 

"Do you promise not to hate me forever if I tell you what happened," Ren suddenly blurted. His fingers were picking at his sheets, heart thundering in his chest. He needed to know they wouldn't all turn his back on him for this, or at least Satan wouldn't. That would crush him and he'd probably leave the academy out of guilt more than anything else. Green eyes met brown, Ren's imploring for reassurance.

Satan took hold of Ren's hand and kissed his knuckles, nudging himself closer. "I'll never judge you. Now, out with it! You've made me suffer for three days now." 

Ren let out a relieved breath, closing his eyes and squeezing Satan's hand before beginning his spiel. "Okay, so basically I was having a really hard time a couple of days ago and all my professors were being assholes so I came back to my room and started crying but for some reason Lucifer came into my room and was trying to help me but I was so angry and frustrated and upset that I let my ugly insecurities get the better of me and I rejected his help and was a big mega asshole about it and I screwed it all up and I really hurt Lucifer's feelings and he said we should spend some time apart but now I feel like a hot pile of shit about it and I can't think of any way to make it better because nothing feels good enough!"

Satan smirked at Ren's bewilderment as he talked. Did that boy even breathe? It was apparent this weighed heavy on his conscience, haunting his every waking minute. "Well, what exactly did you say?" Satan asked. More context could provide a possible solution. Combined with the infinite number of books Satan had conquered, he knew he could drum up something. 

"Ugh... I don't even want to repeat it, it's so awful." Ren slapped a palm to his forehead, wincing at the memory. "When he tried to help me, I said that I don't always need him to save me, that I'm not his damsel in distress. And if he wanted to try and save something he should try his fucked up family for a change." The words felt foreign coming out of his mouth, but they were words he'd said. He couldn't take it back no matter how much he wanted to.

"Wow, that's pretty bad," Satan deadpanned. 

"Satan!" Ren whined. "I know! Ugh, you said you wouldn't judge me. I know I was a big ugly douchebag and I can't believe I said that!" Ren flopped onto his back and covered his face with a pillow, yelling an "I SUCK ASS" into it. He felt betrayed by himself. How could he let those wicked things come out of his mouth? Once this was over, no matter the outcome, good or bad, he would have to do some deep digging. This kind of destructive behavior stemmed from somewhere and Ren refused to let it go unchecked. 

"Well, based on an accumulation of knowledge I've obtained over the millenniums, I only see one answer. You have to sing him a song." Of course! What could be more personal than a lyrical embodiment of how Ren feels. Not to mention, Lucifer loved his voice. There were a few nights they spent together where he'd asked Ren to lull him to sleep with a soft melody. Cozy in Ren's arms, he was always out like a light in a few minutes.

"Satan, you're brilliant!" Ren exclaimed, grabbing the man's shoulders and pulling him into a forceful hug. Satan grunted against the force of impact, but rubbed gently at Ren's back. "You're so smart I could just kiss you!"

"Well why don't you? My services aren't free of charge. Even for handsome men," he winked. "But really Ren, you both seemed to be acting strange the past few days. And yes, while I don't particularly favor Lucifer, he is still my brother, and he cares about you. That means something to me." He pecked Ren's lips, chaste and loving. The smile Satan offered as well encouraged Ren more, to believe that this really was a judgement free space and he was able to make mistakes without further criticism. 

"If it makes you feel any better, that's not the first time Lucifer's heard that. My brothers and I have all said it to him on more than one occasion out of anger. It probably just hurt more from you, but don't take it personally. He has a soft spot for gorgeous humans named 'Ren.'" That made him grin, one of the few times he's done that since the fiasco. 

In that moment, Ren had a better general understanding of what love was supposed to be like. Sunshine and rainbows are a large part of it, but it's also disappointment and vulnerability and sometimes hurt. Too much hurt was bad of course. There's things you can't come back from, and when you're this close to someone it only makes it that much easier to hurt them. This was the reality of love. There were days where you can't split the level of passion fifty-fifty with someone. Some days it's seventy to thirty and in Ren's case it could be ninety-nine to one. That was a tough day and Ren was determined to not let it ruin the course of the wonderful thing him and Lucifer had going. 

"I will now leave you to come up with a grandiose scheme to reaffirm your affections for each other. I wish you luck, Ren." He sincerely thanked Satan one more time, gave him a kiss goodbye and plopped himself at his desk. Now, to pick out the perfect song...

-

Ren threw the perfect plan together within two days. He commissioned Mammon to help him with an acoustic version of a song that summed up everything he wanted to say lyrically. Luckily, Mammon was just happy to have Ren speaking to him and didn't ask what it was for. Things were going according to plan and the two of them set up in the rehearsal space normally used for their practices. 

"I'm gonna text Lucifer," Ren said. Mammon nodded, sitting on a stool with the guitar in his hand. After shooting a few urgent messages, Ren set a chair in the middle of the room. He returned to the stage, standing in front of his mic, jittery. What if Lucifer didn't come? What if Ren had gone too far? What if it was over? So many questions spun around and around in his head, but Ren had to cling onto the hope that their relationship was strong enough to brave this. 

As if on command, Lucifer burst through the doors, wide-eyed and frantic. "What's going on? Are you okay?" Lucifer pressed, racing for the stage. For a few seconds, seeing his face took Ren's breath away and his heart pounded in his chest. With everything that had happened, Lucifer still rushed here, for him. 

"I'm alright Lucifer, I didn't mean to worry you. Please, take a seat," Ren motioned towards the chair.

"Ren, I don't have time to for-"

" _Please_." It was delicate, almost a whisper, yet so vulnerable. Lucifer sighed, sitting down in the chair and folding his arms.

_I'm going to make this up to you_ , Ren thought. He signaled to Mammon to start the song with a nod of his head, releasing a shaky breath as the beginning chords began. He had to pour everything into this performance, it was the only way to do the song justice and the only way to express his deep anguish. 

_When I was younger_ _I saw my daddy cry_

_And curse at the wind_

_He broke his own heart and I watched_

_As he tried to reassemble it_

Ren closed his eyes, finding himself unable to look at Lucifer without crying. He needed to get through the song without falling apart, because that's what it felt like without him. Lucifer was that last puzzle piece that kept it altogether, that kept everything from falling apart. Shaking off the tears, Ren let his voice glide him through the song, keeping his roaring emotions at bay.

_And my mama swore that she would_

_Never let herself forget_

_And that was the day that I promised_

_I'd never sing of love if it does not exist_

Love songs were never a massive part of Ren's musical repertoire. It was difficult to honestly sing about something he never truly experienced. There were a few flings from the past that meant more than others, but nothing ever screamed "love" in capital letters. At least, not until now. Not until he'd come to this weird academy and fell in love with a bunch of brothers. Love still didn't come easy to him, evidently. He was set on blowing it all up within a few minutes after all. But he was learning, as agonizingly slow as the process could be, he was still learning to love and accept love. Who'd ever thought it'd be this hard though?

_But, darling_

_You are the only exception_

_You are the only exception_

_You are the only exception_

_You are the only exception_

This part felt the most true. Love was something Ren thought he'd never get to experience, or at least not in its purest form. With cynical views of how love must actually be, it looked like he was destined to live his life void of that particular journey. Settling down with someone he cared about enough seemed alright to him. He'd grow old with whoever he ended up with and they'd have a nice life until it ended. That's what he'd always told himself. That movie romance just wasn't in the cards for him, so he thought. Then everything (as things usually did as of late) completely flipped and now he couldn't imagine a life without this kind of love. It was something he thought everyone should get to experience, just once. And Lucifer, along with his brothers, had finally been the successful exception, the ones to break Ren's skewed view of this previously unimaginable concept. 

_Maybe I know, somewhere_

_Deep in my soul, that love never lasts_

_And I've always lived like this_

_Keeping a comfortable distance_

_And up until now, I had sworn to myself_

_That I'm content with loneliness_

_Because none of it was ever worth the risk_

Not anymore, he was tired of it. Tired of creating space that resulted in pushing his partners away. Maybe that was the real reason why nothing ever worked out. Ren never let his relationships breathe enough, always assuming the worst as a defense mechanism. Like the song said, that was fine before, he was willing to accept the loneliness that came with life. But not anymore, because this was worth it, this was worth fighting for. 

When the second chorus hit, Ren finally opened his eyes, looking directly at Lucifer. He'd uncrossed his arms, his fingers now intertwined with each other as he hunched forward. His elbows rested on his thighs as he looked intently at the man on the stage. Lucifer's hands covered his mouth, but Ren could tell his lips were slightly trembling behind them. The glossy look in his eyes as he let Ren sing to him indicated tears could start falling at any second. 

Ren had to close his eyes again, if only to get through the last part of the song.

_I've got a tight grip on reality_

_But I can't, let go of what's in front of me here_

_I know you're leaving in the morning when you wake up_

_Leave me with some kind of proof it's not a dream_

In the final chorus of the song, he gave it everything he had, straying from the melody line to belt out a few adlibs. In a way, they were cries for their love. A final attempt to show how distraught Ren was without him. 

As the song came to a close, Ren liltingly sang the last few lines. Lucifer watched with watery eyes.

_And I'm on my way to believing_

_Oh, and I'm on my way to believing_

Mammon played the last few chords, realizing what the song was probably for. He quickly kissed Ren on the cheek, wished him luck and left the room. Whatever was about to happen between those two was bound to be personal. 

Ren walked to where Lucifer was now standing, the eldest swiping at his eyes. The air in the room felt heavy and the silence was deafening, neither knowing exactly what to say or where to start. "Ren I-"

"No, let me go first. If I don't say this I'll regret it forever." Lucifer nodded, encouraging him to go ahead. "I fucked up. I really, really, royally fucked up. And I know that. I was nasty and vicious and hateful toward you. Some part of me thought, I should just end it while I'm ahead. I let my frustration turn into bitterness and then I let my insecurities fan that flame and now we're here. Sorry isn't enough, it'll never be enough, but goddamn Lucifer I love you so much it hurts." 

Ren stepped closer, took Lucifer's hands and gazed into his eyes. The precise eye contact caged them, neither person able to avoid their feelings. "It's killing me, being away from you," Ren spoke, his voice breaking as a tear rolled down his cheek. "I want to take it all back, I want to so bad. I hate that I hurt you, I did the one thing I promised to myself I'd never do. But please Lucifer you have to believe me, I'll do anything, anything to make it better. Just tell me what, please." 

Lucifer let go of Ren's hands and wrapped his arms around his neck, pulling him into a tight hug. Something inside of Ren broke, he couldn't say exactly what, but it felt like everything inside crumbled. He buried his face in Lucifer's neck, sobs rippling through this body as he desperately clung to him. All of his guilt poured out in droves as he sobbed hard enough to combat a river. The demon carded his fingers through Ren's hair, whispering soothing words into his ear while he cried and cried. 

He couldn't even pretend to hold it together anymore, everything hurt too much. Never again did he want to experience this because he wasn't sure anything felt worse. Of all the mistakes he made, this was one he was committed to never repeating.

At some point, Ren calmed down, partially regaining an intelligible thought process. One hand was soothingly caressing his head while another rubbed at his back. He loosened his grip on Lucifer, no longer worrying that if he let go his love would slip out of his grasp. Breathing became less difficult, his inhales and exhales stabilizing. 

"My love, I forgave you before I even walked out the door," Lucifer said, voice tender and silky. He still held Ren in his arms, speaking into his ear. Warmth radiated from his touch, Ren soaking it in in case it was ripped away from him again. "Hey, look at me. No more tears."

Ren didn't want to let go, he wanted to be cradled in his man's arms forever. He'd let it go by mistake once before and damn it all if he couldn't cling to it for just a few more seconds. Unfortunately, Lucifer pulled away and held him at arm's length, giving him a small smile. "I appreciate all of this, the song and your words. It means a lot to me." Before continuing, he pressed an affectionate kiss to Ren's forehead and then to his lips.

"I know you didn't actually mean it and you were having a bad day. I guess the hidden truth behind it hurt most. There are things I could do to be a better older brother and your words, though spiteful, still rang true. It picked at something I'm most ashamed of, a place where I cannot be blinded by my pride. Though, that stung a bit, you also said something else that was true. You _don't_ always need me, and I should leave you to figure certain things out if that's what you wish." They were hard pills to swallow, but Lucifer could accept them for what they were: reality.

"Though, above all else, being away from you was the most painful. I never want to fight like this again, so please, I ask you Ren, don't toil with my heart like that anymore." Ren grabbed Lucifer's cheeks and smashed their mouths together, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. He uttered a series of _I love you's_ and _I'm sorry's_ against the other's lips between kisses, the brother laughing at his partner's fervor.

"Now Ren, I need you to really understand this. I _forgive_ you. I know you well enough and you'll let this hang over your head for too long. It's in the past, so leave it there. The future of our relationship isn't determined by this bump in the road. Let me forgive you and then forgive yourself." He jabbed a finger into Ren's sternum to emphasize his point. He refused to let the boy continually beat himself up over this. They were past it, the memory soon to be distant and forgotten. In the whole of their relationship, this would quickly be remembered as a mere inconvenient hump. 

The boy nodded, wiping away remaining liquid in his eyes. He knew that it would take time before he honestly forgave himself, but that he'd earnestly work toward it. This was a once in a lifetime love and Ren was willing to preserve it for as long as he could. 

"Come on," Lucifer said. "It's been a long day, let's go back to your dorm."

-

That night, as Ren lay wrapped in Lucifer's arms, he'd forged a better understanding of what love feels like for him. It's safety, security, trust, light, warmth. It's supposed to be waking up everyday and excitedly waiting to see their face (whichever of the brothers, he didn't mind). It's coming back from a hard day, letting go of the mistake and moving on stronger because of it. Tricky as love could be, he didn't want to trade it for anything. This was worth treasuring, worth fighting for.

He had a lot of work to do in order to unravel his deeply rooted insecurities, but this was a good start. It could take time, yet he was already starting to believe Lucifer forgave him and that put him on the path to stop his cycle of self-flagellation. With time, they were going to be okay, and Ren knew it.

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i know i left some words out of the song bc i didn't want it to be too long but MWAHAHAHAHAHA i hope everything liked the small bit of angst


	13. Beach Bums

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time for some fun in the sun!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Important!!! Please read!!!
> 
> Hello everyone! Before we get started, I just want to say there is a smut warning for this chapter. Sorry for the hiatus, it didn't feel right posting something with everything going on in the world in regards to the murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Tony McDade, and so many other innocent and wrongly taken Black lives at the hands of revolting police brutality. It would also be incredibly irresponsible of me to post this chapter and act like nothing is happening. To any of my Black readers, I can never begin to understand your pain, anger and frustration, but I stand with you in solidarity and will put in the work as an earnest ally. Black Lives Matter. Today, tomorrow, and everyday after that. This also includes Black trans lives, Black disabled lives and Black queer lives. ALL Black Lives Matter! I will be sharing links to petitions and sites as well as the usernames of social media accounts that have helped educate me more on this issue and helped me get active in my allyship. I hope those reading will take the time to look at them and choose to be part of the change. 
> 
> > blacklivesmatters.carrd.co  
> > Instagram: @blklivesmatter, @urdoingreat, @naacp, @indyamoore, @aaron___philip, @lavernecox  
> > Petition for Justice for Breonna Taylor: https://www.change.org/p/andy-beshear-justice-for-breonna-taylor  
> > Petition for Justice for George Floyd: https://www.change.org/p/mayor-jacob-frey-justice-for-george-floyd  
> > Petition for Justice for Tony McDade: https://www.change.org/p/justice-for-tony-mcdade  
> > Article - No Queer Liberation Without Prison Abolition: https://www.them.us/story/no-queer-liberation-without-prison-abolition  
> > Police & Prison Abolition: https://www.8toabolition.com/  
> > Other Ways To Help (Suggestions): Support Black creators, brands, artists, restaurants, fanfic writers! Donate! Protest if it safe for you to do so! Call out anti-black and racist sentiments where you can at home, in public & with friends! Listen to and uplift Black voices!!!
> 
> I know I have a relatively small platform, but this is something so incredibly important to me and I truly hope it will help to inform someone! As always, enjoy the chapter ♡

"Coming!" Ren yelled, frantically stuffing supplies into his backpack. There were a few knocks at the door and though they didn't sound impatient, it was probably a signal to hurry up. It had completely slipped Ren's mind to prepare for their beach trip today. Thanks to a wonderful invitation by Diavolo, he asked Ren to accompany them on their annual "field trip." Really, it was only an excuse to leave the dreary walls of the academy to get some fresh air. 

Now, with one last item check, Ren was ready to go. Towels? Check. Change of shoes? Check. Phone, keys, wallet? Check. 

Another few short raps came from outside again. "Almost ready!" Whoever was behind it grew testy as the door swung open. Mammon entered the room (of course it was Mammon) and stomped over to Ren. 

"Y'know it's real rude to keep us wai-" Mammon was unable to continue speaking as he looked Ren up and down. The boy was dressed in a fitted muscle-tee accompanied by some extra short shorts. Really, they should be illegal. However, Mammon didn't mind too much. The sight in front of him was something to behold. The way Ren's shorts deliciously hugged his thighs and the muscle shirt were doing wonders for his perverted mind. 

"What? Why're you staring?" Ren asked, searching for his sunscreen. It must be around here somewhere...

"Ah, Mammon! What're you doing?!" he crowed, swatting away the hand that groped his butt. He couldn't even wait until the beach to keep his slimy hands to himself? Typical Mammon.

"I don't think they'll miss us for a few more minutes," Mammon said lowly. His voice was thickly coated with lust as he snuck behind Ren, pressing his groin to the other's ass. "These shorts are driving me crazy baby."

"Mammon, please. We can do this another time, just help me look for my sunscreen. I don't want to get fried out there." Mammon sighed, rolled his eyes and bitterly muttered a "cockblock" under his breath. How dare Ren entice him with those tiny shorts and those beautifully big thighs of his and expect him not to do anything about it. It was the gravest injustice amongst a demon, for his partner to regularly dismiss his advancements. Or, Mammon was just an insatiable horndog.

"Hey, here it is!" Mammon said, tossing the bottle to Ren who stuffed it in his backpack. "Now, can I at least have a hello kiss?" 

"Alright, you deserve it. I guess," Ren playfully complied. He wrapped his arms around Mammon's neck, bringing their lips together. Mammon took the opportunity to let his hands travel down until they found Ren's ass. He grabbed at the firm area, squeezing and kneading as he heatedly kissed Ren.

"Mmm, someone's in a mood today."

"It's these damn shorts you're in. They're really doing it for me babe." He grinned, placing one last kiss to Ren's mouth. As much as he wanted to slip those shorts off and take Ren right here, they had other places to be. So, a cheeky fondling will have to do for now. "C'mon, let's go before Lucifer thinks I'm 'laying siege upon your virtuous body.' Ha! What a chump."

-

Ren was unaware the Devildom had beaches, much less one this beautiful. The sun shone big and bright, the sky cloudless with a gentle breeze blowing across the sand. The water was a peculiar lavender color, initially making Ren weary of wading into it. Mammon assured him that the water was human friendly and no harm would come to him. 

Still a bit cautious, Ren hesitantly stepped forward, dipping his feet in. "Ugh, boring! Let's go in!" Mammon beckoned, shoving Ren waist-high into the water. Ren shrieked in protest and splashed water at Mammon who giggled and swam away. Thankfully, the temperature of the sun heightened the water's warmth. 

"Ren, dearie! Wait for me!" Asmodeus chirped. The blond rid himself of his shirt to reveal his lithe frame. Asmodeus was the shortest of the brother's, his and Ren's height difference apparent whenever the taller had to lean down to kiss him. His height was merely a facade though for he could be even more domineering than Lucifer. But in this instance, Ren thought he looked cute, like a little twink. 

"Looking very handsome my sweet! Muah!" he fawned, leaning up to kiss Ren's cheek. 

"Hey Asmo. What's up?"

"Oh nothing, I only wanted to spend time with someone as equally gorgeous as me. Is that a crime? Come on, let's go in deeper." Asmodeus dragged Ren farther in until they were both shoulder deep. Ren could still touch the sand beneath them, but Asmodeus was likely flitting his legs about to keep himself afloat. 

"Rennie, do you mind helping me stay up. I'd hate to get my hair wet."

"Yeah, how do you want me to help you?"

"Let me situate myself... and there. All better!" Asmodeus had swam closer to Ren, wrapping his legs around his waist. The water rendered him nearly weightless so it was like getting koala'd by an infant. Ren supported him by holding up his legs, the other's arms around his neck. "Oh, I like this view much better."

"I think I do too," Ren smiled, pressing a lingering kiss to Asmodeus' mouth. Normally, kissing Asmodeus was fueled by an internally, sexually barbaric desire. Due to his natural influence, Ren often had fairly explicit dreams at night following spent time with him. However, this kiss had been surprisingly... restrained. Well, as restrained as Asmodeus could be. Yes, it was still flirty, though not as inviting.

The two kissed a little longer, Ren's hands firmly gripped underneath the man's thighs. One of Asmodeus' hands splayed against Ren's chest, another finding its way to the back of Ren's neck. They kissed slow, lips moving in tandem, purposeful and intimate. Nevermind the few audience members that started to stare, Belphegor bellowing a snide "get it, boys!" 

Ren laughed against his lover's mouth. "Whoops, forgot there were people around." Simply being around the man was intoxicating and kissing him did nothing to abate that. 

"As did I. Care to join me on the sand? I need help putting on sunscreen. My front will be fine, but I can't have my backside grossly burnt. My beauty is at stake!" 

They made their way back to the sand, Asmodeus rolling out a large blanket for them to sit on. Ren sat behind him, the smaller man tucked between his legs while Ren lathered his back. Asmodeus hummed, submitting to Ren's touch. Ren calculatingly rubbed the lotion across the skin, placing specific pressure in certain areas to please Asmodeus. Once he felt satisfied with his work, he scooted closer to him, wrapping his arms around the petite man's stomach. He rested his chin on Asmodeus' shoulder, the hugged-demon shifting his head to look at him.

"My, someone's a lovebug today," he teased, grabbing Ren's hands and kissing his knuckles before returning them to his stomach. Despite his tone, he _really_ didn't mind. He could go drunk from Ren's touch, honestly. He loved the proximity, the smell of Ren and the warmth of his body pressed against him. 

"I missed you. Is that a crime?" 

"I suppose not. I wouldn't mind staying like this for a while though." Asmodeus relaxed against Ren, leaning backward onto his lovable captor. A fulfilled smile spread its way across his lips when Ren started to peck at his neck and shoulders. Gentle kisses caressed his smooth skin, Ren's hands still holding him tightly. In any other circumstance, Asmodeus would consider this foreplay and try to take it further, but something about how articulate and kind the kisses were told him to fight that innate reaction. Ren wasn't trying to lick swipes up and down his neck and his hands didn't dare wander. In fact, it was very... loving. He'd never pictured himself to experience true love, mostly taking his partner's at face value (literally) and discarding them when he got bored. Then, he didn't think he could ever tire of Ren. 

"My most wonderful Ren, I believe you're in need of some sunscreen too. No man of mine will be charred by the heat! Come now, lay on your stomach." Ren obeyed without complaint, letting go of Asmodeus and settling on his stomach, his head resting on his arms. Asmodeus sat himself on Ren's lower back, lifting his shirt to start applying the lotion to the tan skin.

His hands expertly slid across Ren's back, adding pressure to his motions in areas he felt tension. Ren hummed with delight, feeling some of the kinks in his back rubbed out. The sunscreen felt nice too, cool and slick across his back. As Asmodeus finished his work, he placed a kiss to the nap of Ren's neck, fingers drawing circles on the center of his spine. 

"Ren, I want to show you something. A place special to me on this beach."

"Sure Asmo, where is it?" Asmodeus removed himself from Ren and the boy flipped over, staring at orange and yellow eyes. When they first met, he thought those eyes were terrifying, like Jasper from Twilight but so much more haunting. He always sensed them drilling into his soul, even if he didn't turn to meet them. They'd been intimidating, fierce and eerie. And now, as they looked down at Ren, he thought they were dazzling, iridescent and beguiling.

"Not far from here, maybe a three minute walk. Will you come with me, please?" Asmodeus implored. 

Ren sat up on his elbows, reached up to cup the side of Asmodeus' face and subtly brushed his thumb back and forth across his cheek. "Of course." 

-

"Do you see that? He's all over him, ugh! Freakin' gross if ya ask me, why's he gotta be that way?" Mammon glowered, crossing his arms over his chest. He despised the way Asmodeus was all over Ren, and the way Ren ate it up, basically reciprocating! How dare he touch that sex fiend! Sure, Mammon could admit his mind was a bit grimy at times, but he loved Ren. Asmodeus only wanted to contaminate his wholesome body as a result of his chronic sexual depravity.

"Calm yourself Mammon. He is just as much entitled to Ren's attention as you are," Lucifer reminded. The oldest had perched himself on a raft, laying down in the center of it and resting his eyes with sunglasses on. He laid on the ocean, soaking up the sun in hopes to tan some of his pale skin. 

"Okay? And?! Asmodeus doesn't love him! He just wants to seduce him!" Mammon further argued. Since the moment Ren arrived at the academy, Asmodeus had taken it upon himself to pester him every chance he had with picnics and study dates and casual hangouts in his room. It angered Mammon to no end. There was something specifically about the way Asmodeus touched him, constantly gave Ren those "bedroom eyes." It sickened him.

"Mammon that isn't true and you know it. I agree, Asmodeus has more... non-traditional ways of courting someone. Despite that, you cannot ignore the fact he is brazenly more sweet with Ren. He deeply cares for him like we all do whether you wish to recognize that or not."

The two lovebirds on the beach started to walk off, Asmodeus taking Ren's hand and swinging it back and forth as they walked to the unknown destination. Mammon watched in horror. "H-hey! Where are they going? Oh, I'm going to give that rotten guy a piece of my freakin' mind!" he seethed. 

Mammon began to wade out of the shallow water, heading for the sand. "Mammon, get back here. _Now_ ," Lucifer demanded, his tone militant and menacing. Mammon stopped in his tracks, grumbling before sinking back into the water and toward Lucifer. His stomach felt queasy. What did Asmodeus have planned for them?

"Not that I'd do it any differently, but it's time someone showed you some tough love," Lucifer said, peering down his sunglasses to look at his childishly irritated sibling. "You need to get a grip. When there's disagreements between us brothers about Ren, you're always the instigator. Your greed for his attention puts a strain on us all and it can even tire Ren out. Be considerate and let him be happy with not just Asmodeus, but all of us as well."

It was a slap in the face alright, but Mammon needed it. Even if in the moment he didn't particularly want to hear it, he was still grateful his older brother said something. It was almost as if Lucifer was looking out for Mammon and Ren's personal relationship too. 

"Thank you, Lucifer," Mammon said, eyes falling to the water out of embarrassment. He let his emotions soar too high, clouding his judgement and ability to look at the situation reasonably. Nothing like a good ol' fashioned Lucifer scolding to put you in your place. 

"Oh, come now, don't be pouty. You'll have your time with him tonight, or some time soon. For now, let's have some fun and eat up all the sunshine we can. You've been looking a little pasty yourself, brother."

"I'll have you know my refined tan skin is still a sight to marvel at! Don't get it twisted Sir Alabaster," Mammon retorted, snickering at his own joke. Lucifer joined in too, snorting at the new insult. 

"Sir Alabaster, good one."

-

They pushed past some tall greenery to reach their destination. Asmodeus had led them to a grassy area on a short mound, a palm tree providing shade underneath the small strip of land. The area was hidden behind a small rocky path away from the beach. There was a patch of land in the center that had been trimmed, probably for people to sit down and relax (or do other things). If you were just casually walking, it was very easy to miss and blended in with the rest of the scenery. 

"What's up? You've been silent for a bit Asmo," Ren said as he took a seat, patting his thighs for Asmodeus to take a seat. It could've been an expected side effect of being around Asmodeus for a while, but he felt exceptionally lovey-dovey today. It was nearly impossible to pry himself off of the man.

Asmodeus sighed, taking a seat on Ren's lap. He placed his hands on Ren's shoulders and kissed his forehead, the boy below him smiling at the action. Ren pushed his body closer to him, missing their closeness. He gazed into Asmodeus' eyes, trying to decipher what they were saying to him. "Y'know, you've been looking at me like that a lot lately. I can't tell what it's supposed to mean, but it feels different."

Asmodeus sighed again and let out a defeated laugh. "You caught me. I wish I knew what it meant myself. I feel like... there's this part of me. This sealed away corridor of my brain that I never entered. And now that I have, I'm not sure I know how to navigate it. Do you follow?" 

"Mmm, I don't know that I do," Ren admitted. Reassuringly though, he took Asmodeus' hands and kissed his fingers. "But don't worry, I'm here to listen until I understand. I'll always listen to you." 

"It's that, when you do and say those kinds of things. I've experienced love and adoration in all of its variations, and almost none of them meant much to me. Yet, this? With you? It means a lot to me, and that's weird and unfamiliar and thinking about it makes me break out. I guess I wanted to show you how I feel, in a way that I know you'll understand."

Ren cocked an eyebrow at the realization. "Oh! Uh... here? Are you worried about being... discovered?" 

"No, I know no one will bother us. We won't go all the way since I don't want you to reek of me, but I'd love to have you if you'll let me."

Ren gulped at the offer. Here Asmodeus was, offering himself to Ren, to show him how far his affections for him go. He wanted it too, and not just the impending form of sex, but to be close to him. He wanted to be a part of that intimacy, wanted to feel the love Asmodeus had for him. Though he wished this could be somewhere more private, he couldn't wait, he wanted Asmodeus now. If someone happened to notice, well at least they'd get a nice view.

"Yeah, I'd want that," he smiled, sweetly pecking the blond's mouth. Asmodeus kissed him back, taking a chance to gingerly push Ren onto his back. The soft grass provided some form of bedding, even if it wasn't preferable. The earth beneath Ren felt strange at first, but his focus veered back to the man on top of him. 

Asmodeus had already detached himself from Ren's mouth, trailing his lips to his neck. He ventured lower, lifting Ren's muscle shirt to kiss at his chest and down to his stomach. Unlike previous encounters with the student, this occurrence was much slower. There was no rush, no urgency in the way Asmodeus explored Ren's body. He took note of all that the human's body had to offer, the stretch marks that covered his shoulders and stomach, the way he became tense when lips met the skin there. Special attention was given to these areas, parts of Ren's body he knew were sore spots for him. He had to make sure Ren knew he loved every perceived cosmetic fault of his.

Soon, they were both stripped completely naked, baring their truth to each other. Ren had wrapped his legs around Asmodeus' hips and they were pushed flush against each other. Their sweat-slicked bodies rubbed together while they kissed, the frottage slowly driving Ren mad. He couldn't ignore the painful neglect to his cock, the blond's own hardened manhood sliding against it. 

"N-need more," Ren said, his fingers clawing against Asmodeus' back. Thankfully, the blond was eager to please, pulling away to kiss at Ren's inner thighs. He moved closer and closer to the place Ren most wanted, longing to feel his lover's mouth sink down on him. However, Asmodeus had other plans. He pushed Ren's thighs farther up, exposing a place the boy never thought he'd have orally pleasured. Asmodeus wrapped his arms around Ren's thighs and forcefully yanked his body upward, plastering the young man's backside to his chest in order to give him better access to his entrance.

The position was awkward at first. Ren felt like he could flip over at any moment on accident, but Asmodeus' surprisingly strong grip kept him in place as he lapped at his hole. The sensation felt incredibly intrusive at first, Ren unaccustomed to the feeling of something wet down there. But when Asmodeus began to stroke him, those thoughts dissipated. He wished he had something to grab on to, something to steady himself while his body turned to jelly. 

Ren bit his lip, daring himself to look at the view in front of him. Despite the sexual act, when he locked eyes with Asmodeus, the demon closed his and zealously continued his activity, the want to please Ren dousing his every thought. It all became about Ren, about passionately loving the man below him and having this _mean_ something. Something other than only an enjoyable time together. Asmodeus felt like a simpleton for letting himself be wrought with this burning devotion, normally chasing after his own release first. And though it strayed from his ordinary predilection, it didn't matter. This was someone he cared for, loved, so he couldn't help but throw caution to the wind. Love is often thought to be a fickle emotion amongst demons, the embers burning bright for a few short seconds before being violently stomped out. Maybe, Asmodeus thought, he was just a fickle person. 

When he laid Ren onto his back again and sucked him down, Ren thought he saw stars. Asmodeus buried him in his mouth, taking the full length of Ren's cock. It excited him how large Ren's cock was, reeling from the way it almost made him choke with every attempt he made to swallow it whole. Ren should've known he'd be good at something like this, he _is_ the Avatar of Lust. Ren wanted to give back, to make Asmodeus feel the same way, but he understood _this_ was making him feel good. To take Ren apart in the most beautiful way, that made Asmodeus feel good.

Asmodeus reached up, tapping a few fingers at Ren's mouth. He understood, letting them slip past his lips as he swirled his tongue around them. Ren moaned around the soft skin, wishing he had something more filling in his mouth. Soon, the fingers were pulled from his lips and one prodded at his ass. He wriggled his hips a bit, allowing Asmodeus to slowly push a finger in. It was different from the tongue, a little less invasive, but still a foreign invader. None of that mattered though when his long, nimble digit started poking _that_ spot, the place inside him Ren thought was just a myth. 

It was a sudden jolt of pleasure, a tickling of all his nerves. He bucked his hips on accident, his body suddenly spasming from the unexpected ping of titillation. Luckily, Asmodeus was a master at this, barely even phased when Ren's cock slammed into his throat. He took it as his hint to keep moving his finger, eventually adding a second one which made Ren fist his hair. He didn't mind the roughness, hoping the next time Ren would actually be a little more rough. And usually he hated when a partner touched his hair, his carefully swooped bangs he meticulously styled every morning. But this was Ren, so he let it pass and happily devoured his cock.

"Unhh... Asmo, I-I'm gonna c-come," Ren brokenly moaned, hands lazily guiding the demon's head up and down, the sounds of Asmodeus ardently sucking his cock disgustingly obscene. His hardened appendage twitched in Asmodeus' mouth, on the brink of orgasm. Asmodeus quickened his pace, hurriedly pumping and sucking Ren to his climax. "F-fuck!" he cried, cum shooting down the other's throat, some of it dribbling off the side of his mouth.

Asmodeus continued to suck him through his orgasm, squeezing his cock for every last drop of white liquid. "Mmm," he hummed, pulling off Ren and removing his fingers from inside him, Ren's cock wetly slapping against his stomach. Swiping a finger on his cheek, he wiped off some of the excess cum and sucked it from his finger. Ren watched, pupils blown wide, being still returning from the plane of transcendent orgasm.

"You taste as good as I thought," Asmodeus giggled, lying next to Ren. 

"Wh-what about you? Do you want me to...?" Ren propositioned. It would be a dick move to not at least offer.

"I'm fine my most handsome Ren. This was about you. I take it you liked it? You have the most adorable moans," he cooed, kissing Ren's cheek. "And the biggest cock I've ever seen." Asmodeus snaked a stealthy hand around Ren's still half-hard dick causing him to gasp in surprise. 

"A-ah! Asmo, please... I don't think I can go another round. It's not that big either, you're just being overdramatic." He never really thought about his size too much, or at least so far there were no complaints. Though... Lucifer's hands were much bigger than Asmodeus', and even he couldn't wholly grip Ren at full mast.

"Oh Ren, humble as ever. I'll have you know there's no need for that now. I had to really loosen my jaw to accompany your size, it was a miracle I could swallow the entire thing! You really are the man of my dreams! Tall, gorgeous, soft-hearted, loving, with an impossibly monstrous co-"

"Ahhh! I get it Asmo. Not to kill the mood or anything, but I feel sort of... objectified here." He searched for his clothes, the vulnerability that nakedness brought became undesirable. Sure, he loved Asmodeus, but it didn't inspire his self-esteem if he was just a big dick to him.

"I apologize Ren. Please, just lay back down with me." The hand that grabbed his was enough to change his mind. Ren sighed, settling next to Asmodeus again, one arm thrown over the older's side while his head rested on his chest. Asmodeus kissed Ren's hair, his nimble fingers calmingly scratching at his scalp. A creeping thought infiltrated his mind, the domesticity of their position thrown in his face again. 

"I'm sorry Asmo. I just don't like thinking I'm one of your play things. It hurts my feelings." At least Ren had the guts to say what bothered him, openly and honestly. It was much more than he could say for his previous relationships. 

Asmodeus hummed in acknowledgement. "I got excited and I'm deeply sorry it was at your expense. You're not just a nice lay for me, you're much more my most dashing Rennie. I love you, and not in the superficial I love your body kind of way. I mean _you._ With your easy-going attitude and your big heart and your contagious laugh. You make me stray from the path predisposed to me, and I'm forever grateful for it."

"Geez, didn't know you were so gushy," Ren snickered, poking the demon's cheek before pecking his lips. "Thank you though, for the reassurance. I love you too." 

The two of them snuggled for a bit, Asmodeus closing his eyes and continuing to scratch atop Ren's head. He would give up his moisturizing routine if it meant being able to stay in blissful serenity with the boy below him. Asmodeus decided then and there, Ren was worth it. Worthy of everything, to be treated like a prince, to know that he was loved and to be reassured of that if he ever started to doubt it. However, there was time for that in the future, they had other places to be.

"Mmm... I don't want to disturb our wonderful moment, but I'm afraid if I keep you for any longer someone will think I've captured your soul. Come now, get dressed Ren." Asmodeus playfully patted Ren's bare bottom, signaling for him to get up.

"Nice while it lasted, but I heard Lucifer packed a fantastic dinner for us on the beach. Can't wait to eat!"

-

Upon regrouping with the brothers, Ren came to find a wooden table placed a distance away from the water. The table was littered with an array of delicious looking food. It almost looked consumable for humans. As Ren took a seat next to Belphegor, he noticed Diavolo was at the opposite end. Now that he thought about it, when did he decide to join them? He hadn't seen him on the walk here or anywhere on the beach at all. Still, at least Diavolo was dressed for the occasion with a plain black tank top, equally muted trunks and sandals. Worn like a true devil dad.

"Hello Ren and Asmodeus, welcome! You're just in time for the feast!" Diavolo cheered, clasping his hands together with a beaming smile. "That plate is yours, Ren. I carefully picked it out just for you." 

"Wow, thanks Diavolo. I appreciate it," Ren said, nodding his head toward the Lord. Diavolo beckoned everyone to dig in, Beelzebub not needing to be told twice. Thankfully, the future ruler of the Devildom packed ten extra servings with the assistance of Barbatos. Though the butler seemed to be absent, Ren was sure he was probably lurking nearby. It always creeped him out that Barbatos seemed to just... _appear_ sometimes, but Ren decided against questioning it.

"Hey, did you mess around with Asmo?" Belphegor whispered, nudging Ren's side while he took a bite of his food. Typical Belphegor, always the gossip. Even if he did have a big mouth, when it came to their friendship, Ren trusted Belphegor with his life and vice versa. And at this point, he had gotten over the hump of "I'm having intimate relations with your brothers." 

"Belphie you're so gross. But if you're really that curious, yeah we... did stuff. Not all the way because he didn't want to come back here and I reek of his scent. It wasn't all gross and porny though, we cuddled after too," Ren dotingly recalled. He wished they stayed longer, it felt like him and Asmodeus were finally getting somewhere in their relationship that didn't end in sinful activity underneath the guise of "dates." That time was different, Asmodeus clearly stated what he wanted to do and why. It was for Ren, to make _him_ feel cared for, and he appreciated that. 

"Nice. Little bit of action on the beach with some sweetness in it too. You're a real player, Ren."

"I'm not playing anyone Belphie. Yeah it was a form of sex, but it was meaningful too. I dunno, I think it's better when there's feelings involved." Ren stole a glance at Asmodeus, winking in his direction. The blond fakely gasped before blowing a kiss to him. Ren pretended to catch it and place it over his heart.

"Ugh, god. Get a room," Belphegor teased, rolling his eyes. Ren laughed, returning to his meal.

The evening couldn't have been more perfect if he'd imagined it. Dinner on the beach, a gorgeous mixture of pink, orange and yellow in the sky. Surrounded by the people he cared a lot for, Ren knew this moment would be safely tucked away in his mind, never to be forgotten. Chatter and laughter filled the air, Ren never having seen Lucifer smile so much. He wish he could trap himself here, on this beach, his heart so full it could burst at any moment. 

Unfortunately, the night came to a close, everyone finishing their food and preparing to start the short trek back to the academy. After packing up, Belphegor bumped Ren's shoulder on their way back, giggling at his friend's overly offended face. To make it up to him, he promised he'd big spoon Ren that night, taking his hand and locking their pinkies. 

Mammon and Asmodeus stayed further back, the silver-haired boy striking up a conversation. "Those two sure are peas in a pod, yeah?" 

"They sure are," Asmodeus fondly commented, watching the two walk side by side, pinkies intertwined. "I'm glad he has somebody to turn to, a friend, and not a partner. He needs someone like that."

Mammon nodded, stuffing his hands in his short pockets, eyes cast down to the concrete. Now or never, yeah?

"Hey Asmo, I kind of wanted to ask you something."

"I caught on, your silence was strange. Especially because you never stop talking, like ever. What's bothering you though?"

"Geez, rude much? Is that any way to talk to your older brother?" Mammon huffed, crossing his arms. Lucifer ought to teach these ones some respect! "I was just wondering... do you really, y'know, care for Ren?" The last few words were a little mumbly, timidly spoken like a secret, forbidden phrase.

"Odd question, but if you must know, yes I do. Deeply so. And it goes beyond just the superficial too, he's gorgeous all around." The fondness in his voice returned, solidifying the claim. Asmodeus thought back to that time in the library Ren told him he loved him. He wasn't sure the last time (or if ever) he felt his whole stomach churn, heart lurching out of his chest, a crippling desire to kiss the person in front of him. It was refreshing, new, exciting. Asmodeus couldn't help the way the corners of his mouth tugged upward into a smile at the memory. He never regretted saying it back.

Mammon breathed through his nose, fists unclenching in his pockets. It was what he needed to hear, an honest declaration of his intentions. It wasn't explicitly said, but Asmodeus never talks about anyone that way. The sincerity, that gentleness, it wasn't a staple of his character. Yet, Ren seemed to have changed all of them. For the better, hopefully. 

"Good, because I'll beat you up if you hurt him." It was a harmless threat, Mammon doubtful Asmodeus would easily let go of someone he holds so dearly. The younger just laughed, linking their arms together as they walked side by side, back to their home. 

-


	14. Restless Retreat Pt. 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A weekend in the mountains would do everyone some good. Right?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey all! Sorry for the large gaps in-between updates, been feeling out of sync so I've tried to write when I can. Really proud of this chapter though :D Had the idea for a while but it didn't feel right to put it out until about now. Originally, I was going to make this just a super long chapter (around like 8k/9k words) but when I got to writing I realized there was no way I could cram everything into one chapter. So... I've decided to split it up into two or three parts!!! Thank you so much for all the kudos and comments, they help me stay invested in this story and its characters and it's become like my little baby <3 
> 
> And as always, Black Lives STILL Matter. Continue the fight, continue educating yourself, continue reading up on the racist roots of many institutions and continue having conversations! The fight is far from over so let's keep pushing!!

Ren didn't understand why they can't just teleport to the mountains, or something. Surely they could do that. Diavolo had to have some portal there lying around the academy. It would definitely beat the looming eight hour drive. Oh, and it'd also get Mammon to stop whining about sitting next to Ren because it's "his turn" (they've never been in a car together).

Still, Ren was excited about the opportunity to abandon his studies for a weekend with little to no academic consequences. The whole trip was Diavolo's idea. After the beach day, he saw how the brothers could use some more time together since they practically beg to be apart from each other at the academy. Inviting Ren into the mix was a guaranteed way in getting them all to agree to come. 

They all hobbled into the van, Beelzebub complaining that slouching for eight hours in the confined space was going to ruin his back. Diavolo ignored his concerns, bubbly insisting they were going to have a wonderful time together. Ren wondered what the mountains of the Devildom looked like. He always saw them from a distance, but what resided there? More hellhounds? Giants? Fiends? A pot of gold hidden behind a waterfall?

Whatever makes its home in the mountains, Ren hoped they wouldn't encounter it. 

His worrying was put to an abrupt end as Mammon settled beside him, linked their arms together and smiled brightly at him. "Fancy seeing you here," he cooly said. He pressed his body close against Ren's, their legs bumping. The closeness was welcomed, a distracting force that didn't let Ren's thoughts run wild. Mammon linked their hands together, fingers intertwining. A gentle kiss was placed to Mammon's cheek. 

"You practically begged to sit next to me." Mammon just shrugged, like he had no recollection of that ever happening. No one seemed to notice them, Diavolo's eyes focused on the road while everyone else's attention was put elsewhere. By the looks of it, Belphegor had already dozed off. To be expected as he woke up before noon. Satan was enthralled by a riveting murder mystery book, Asmodeus was fixing his appearance through his phone camera, and Beelzebub was digging through a backpack he brought filled with savory snacks. Leviathan had his earphones plugged in, playing a mobile game while Lucifer seemed to be chatting in the passenger seat beside Diavolo. All of them, wrapped up in their own little worlds with Mammon right beside Ren. 

The drive had become a slight pain in the ass, literally. Ren had dozed off for a few hours, his head on Mammon's shoulder. An uncomfortable sensation prodded around his bottom, his body needing a good stretch. Mammon was on his phone, checking his socials before everyone's signals went blank. Ren shifted around, running his thumb in the palm of Mammon's free hand. 

"Hey beautiful, good evening," Mammon said, a kiss making its way to Ren's cheek. "Out like a light for a few hours. How was the nap?" 

"Mmm, good. This is better though." Ren snuggled a little further into Mammon, adjusting to their height difference. He leaned his head back on the comfortable shoulder. His thumb continued to circle around Mammon's palm, his own motions relaxing him. Now, if only they could just get to that cabin soon. 

A few bathroom stops (at the request of Leviathan) and a string of are-we-there-yet's later, the band was only ten minutes short of arrival. Despite a few sore butts, the drive up the mountain was gorgeous, scenic with lush forests and quaint wooden homes where the road extended to small towns. Sunset was approaching, the sky taking on a yellowish hue, the hint of night approaching. Ren thought it was beautiful up here, even if he was high up on a road and away from the actual greenery below. 

"We're here!" Diavolo sang, pulling into the driveway of an enormous cabin. Did he own this? Nevermind that, Ren couldn't wait to pop out of the car and explore the place. There was a dash of modernism to it, windows not as rustic and timely as the homes they passed on the way here. 

Ren hurriedly shuffled out of the car, grabbing his things and eagerly waiting for Diavolo to unlock the door. He felt himself bouncing, like an excited child ready to claim the prize of their life. The drive might've been killer, and his butt would be sore from sitting for so long, but he supposed a wondrous cabin surrounded by tall trees and even taller mountains could make up for it. Back at home, he was a city boy at his core, but trips away from the bustling crowd of traffic and smell of overt pollution always were cleansing to his soul. 

"Someone's excited," Diavolo commented, sticking a key in the lock and pushing the door open. 

Ren stepped inside, met with massive ceilings adorned with a few fans for ventilation. Windows on the opposite end showed an outside patio, the woods just in front of it. The living room to the left of the entrance couldn't have been more homey if Ren wished, a huge flatscreen TV perched above the floor. Plush, tan couches decorated the seating area, a short and round table sat in the middle. And off to the right was the kitchen, expansive with a dining table at its center. The walls and decor were all a mixture of browns, beiges, tans, whites and off-whites to complete the woodsy effect. 

It was perfect.

One by one, they trickled in, set their bags and various items on the floor and took up the couch space. After everyone was accounted for, Diavolo clapped his hands together, grin wide and celebratory. "First order of business, room assignments!" he declared. 

Collective groans filled the room. Everyone had their own space back at the academy, and though the cabin was big, it wasn't _that_ big. Mammon was paired with Beelzebub. Leviathan, Satan and Asmodeus were going to share a room. Diavolo was going to hunker down with Lucifer and Belphegor was put with Ren. Mammon made a fuss about not being paired with his beloved, but Ren was able to placate him. A little pat on the hip, a kiss on the cheek and a promise to spend time together was all it took to shut him up.

It was unspoken, but the knowing gleam in Diavolo's eye was telling. It was safest to have Ren share a room with Belphegor because he'd likely end up, well... naked with anyone else. 

Diavolo dismissed them, leaving them to decide what to do until dinner time which was in two hours. That was enough time, enough time to get his room situated and maybe spend some time with Mammon. 

As if the weekend couldn't get any better, in their rooms was an attached bathroom. In the human world this place probably cost, like, a million dollars. Actually. Here, Diavolo practically rules over everything so it more than likely came free of charge. The bedrooms themselves were spacious, down a corridor from the kitchen. Belphegor and Ren's room was at the end of the hall, away from whatever noise had already erupted behind the trio's room. The color scheme stayed the same in the bedroom, a drawer on one side of the bed and a closet on the other. If this were a cheesy rom-com, Ren would be worried about the singular bed. However, he was incredibly doubtful Belphegor would try anything. 

After neatly packing away all of his clothes and carefully distributing his bathroom products on the sink counter, Ren sought out his silver-haired lover. It'd be a bad look if he didn't keep his promise. 

He found Mammon on the couches, mindlessly tapping away at his phone. 

"Hey," Ren said, plopping down beside him.

"Hey baby. Sorry, trying to see if I can get the wifi to work in here. We're so far away from civilization, the reception sucks balls in the mountains." Ren chuckled and placed a warm hand on Mammon's inner thigh. Mammon immediately diverted his eyes to Ren, expression questioning.

"I thought... we could spend some time together." He was being coy and he knew it, intentionally giving Mammon false hope. 

"S-Sure, yeah, I'd love that," Mammon stuttered, cheeks tinged red. This was different, Ren showing initiative. Mammon tended to be unyielding, hands roaming, always all over Ren. So whenever the roles flipped, his brain short-circuited, fried to hell. 

Ren pulled them off the couch, moving towards the patio. They descended the steps into the woods, off to explore its secrets. However, as soon as the house was out of sight, Mammon pushed Ren against a tree, their lips meeting in a hungry kiss. Ren's hands clung to Mammon's back, fingers gripping the fabric of that jacket he always wore. Even through his clothes he could feel Mammon's warmth, the tight heat of his straining pants rubbing against Ren's. 

Ren groaned, trying to find the strength to separate them. "Mammon, w-wait," he weakly pleaded, a pair of lips moving determinedly over his neck. Fortunately, he was able to put space between them, a hand forcing their bodies apart, Ren's maddeningly sultry body ripped away from Mammon.

The man frustratedly sighed, letting his forehead fall on Ren's shoulder. "Is it me? Do... do you not like when I touch you?" 

"What?! No, why would you think that?" Ren cupped Mammon's face, their eyes meeting. Mammon turned away, averting his gaze.

"You always blow me off," Mammon said. His tone wasn't pointed or accusatory, but precise, jabbing directly at the problem. He turned to look at Ren again. "I thought you brought me out here to... yeah. I know I'm bein' selfish, but I have wants too. I matter too." 

"I know you do, and I'm sorry. I shouldn't have lead you on. It's not you, Mammon, it really isn't. And no, I'm not giving you that bullshit 'it's not you, it's me' stuff," Ren laughed, a small smile creeping its way to Mammon's mouth. "We just haven't found our moment. I don't wanna raw-dog it against a tree. I want it to be in a bed, in a room, maybe a few dimly lit candles. Only us. But I hear you, no more misleading invitations." 

Mammon looked up through his lashes, his grin returning. He kissed Ren's cheek, mumbling a soft "okay." He couldn't stay mad at him, even if he tried his damndest. 

The two traversed the forest, not straying too far from the cabin so they could easily find their way back. The silence was comfortable, just two boys holding hands and exploring all nature offered to them. For a place belonging to demons, the Devildom was quite... human. Ren could picture this place existing back on Earth. Birds chirped here and there, the sound of a nearby stream could be heard, the crunching of leaves beneath their shoes adding to the environment.

Ren checked his D.D.D. Only about an hour remained until dinner was going to start. They should start to head back. 

"Ren, look," Mammon patted at his arm. Mammon was pointing to something off in the distance, just a few minutes walk from where they stood. Ren squinted a bit, trying to make out its figure. A house? Maybe another cabin. Curious, they walked closer for further inspection. 

Settled into view, the hazy figure took shape. A house, rather run down in fact, abandoned and empty. For some reason, Ren felt like the trees around the property sagged a little, eerily dreary. The entire area felt ominous, the hairs on the back of Ren's neck raised. His gut was telling him to turn back, to return to the safety and comfort of their cabin. With its mangled exterior, bashed windows and bleak black and brown chipped paint, he was sure nothing good laid inside.

"Mammon... I don't have a good feeling about this." 

"Oh c'mon, your powerful demon boyfriend is beside you. I'll protect you my little scaredy cat." Ren wanted to further protest, his body begging to leave, but Mammon was already sauntering towards the door. 

Ren caught up to him, grabbing Mammon's arm a few steps short of the porch stairs leading up to their inevitable doom. "Mammon, _please._ I really don't like it here. Let's just go. We don't know if anyone still lives here or what's inside." 

"Then wait out here if you're too afraid. I wanna check this out." 

Mammon turned the doorknob, a dreadful creak resounding as the house introduced itself. Ren grumbled, following him inside. 

The interior looked about as thrashed as the outside. Broken chairs littered the floor, bookcases adorning one side of the wall collapsed, parts of the floor board shredded. What happened here? It looked like a tornado tore through, or, more likely, a battle between powerful entities. Ren was still weary of their surroundings, yet the undiscovered story here intrigued him. Remnants of a past, fossils just above the dirt. What could they reveal?

A winding staircase lead to an upstairs, probably where the bathrooms were. Off in the left corner of the first floor appeared to be what looked like was a kitchen. Ren couldn't really tell. The ceiling had collapsed there, only a countertop visible. Opposite the "kitchen" were steps leading to a lower level of the house. Mammon was already heading there, off to delve into the house's depths. 

"Hey, wait!" Ren called. Clearly, Mammon hasn't watched enough horror movies. If you split up in a creepy house, someone _always_ winds up missing or dead. Mammon snickered as Ren caught up to him, taking his hand. If some nefarious thing was going to separate them, the least they could do is not make it so easy.

"Scaredy cat." 

As they descended the steps, the light from the house began to fade, darkness consuming the path ahead. Mammon snapped his fingers a few times, trying to summon a flame. Eventually he got it and held it in the palm of his hand. Thank Lord Diavolo for magic. The small bit of luminescence it provided quelled some of Ren's worry, visibility bringing comfort. Still, he really wished they'd just leave already.

At the bottom of the steps, Mammon softly blew on the flame, spreading it to destitute candles and lamps around the room. Each individual flicker of heat found a home, the room no longer seeped in blackness. Ren watched in awe, spheres of light guiding themselves to a destination. It was easy to forget magic wasn't all witches and warlocks, destructive beings and chaos. 

They must've been in the basement. The lack of ventilation or windows told them so. This section of the house looked relatively untouched, mostly just atrociously dusty. Ren let go of Mammon's hand, deciding to poke around. Shelves were decorated with old black and white pictures, webs encasing the frame. He blew them away, swiping at anything remaining and studied a particular shot. 

The photo was of a family, a mother and father with three children, all girls. Contrary to most old photos Ren had seen, these people were actually smiling. They looked happy, the father's hand on the oldest daughter's shoulder. She was no older than thirteen, only up to the middle of her father's chest, a pleasant grin on her face. The youngest two looked like twins, nearly both the same height, probably several years younger than the oldest. They excitedly draped their arms over each other's shoulders. The mother stood behind them wearing a wide and toothy smile.

And suddenly Ren understood.

This is a candid shot. Something maybe the twins did beforehand that made everyone smile, Ren wasn't entirely sure. A strange emotion washed over him, like he knew this family, like he was close to discovering the truth yet still miles away. But what exactly happened? Why did the upstairs to this place look like it was ravaged, ripped apart and trashed by... _something_ spiteful. And why was this part unscathed?

"Ren! Come check this out!" came Mammon's voice, tearing Ren out of his deliberation. He put the picture back on the shelf, walking over to Mammon. The man was bent over, examining faded markings on the wall. Four long gashes were etched into the brick, the signs of an attacker. 

"These are Bigfoot markings," Mammon said, his fingers brushing over the scars. 

"I'm sorry, a what?" Ren chuckled, amused at the name. Bigfoot... like, the folktale? Mammon had to be joking.

"Yeah, Bigfoot. He's also known as a yeti, or something in your world," Mammon explained. "Sometimes a few of them find their way into the human world, that's why you guys get those reported sightings n' stuff. And he's nothing to laugh at either, one of the toughest dudes I've ever tussled with." Well... that's unsettling. A popular myth is actually a creature from the Devildom. Ren wasn't sure how well that one would smooth over with other humans.

"I found some remains at the back over there if you wanna look at 'em. Wanna see if there's more of these scratchings." Ren nodded, heading over to where Mammon pointed. Normally, looking at old bones wasn't his idea of a cute date in the woods, but he's faced down Fiends and a giant three-headed hellhound. So what's a bit of osseous matter? 

True to Mammon's words, a few scattered bones rested at the back. An obvious skull lay sideways, other decomposed parts unidentifiable. It seemed as if these belonged to a singular person, definitely not the size of a Bigfoot. Not that Ren knew what Bigfoot bones looked like, though there's no way they were that small. 

"What happened to you?" Ren whispered, crouched down for a closer look. He reached out, fingertips touched the cold floor. He closed his eyes, inhaled, tried to think of what could have possibly occurred here. 

Then it became clear.

Fast forwarded, like the skipping of movie scenes. He saw the family, enjoying a nice night when the Bigfoot attacked. It bashed through the front door, annihilating everything in sight. The mother, she took the lead, distracted the beast to buy everyone else time to escape. The fight was a little jumbled, bits and pieces jaggedly fitting. Up the stairs she ran, cornered by the animal. It pounded its fists below her, the floor collapsing, the kitchen below rendered a broken mess. 

She couldn't run away, it would just follow her back to her family, and then what? They all die? No. She was going to end this here.

She fled into the basement, the foe hot on her heels. Once down below, it swiped at her with its massive claws, narrowly missing her head and striking the wall instead. It was a fierce battle within tight quarters. Bloody, brutal, vindictive, and she fought to the bitter end. Her power was something to behold, a formidable opponent, the strongest in the family and of anyone nearby. Neither of them ended up walking away alive, but as the Bigfoot stumbled out of the house, fatally wounded, she lied on the floor. Even with blood pooled around her weak body, only a single thought crossed her mind. 

_At least I was able to protect my family._

"Yeah, I'm not sure whose those are, but something definitely went down here," Mammon said. Ren opened his eyes, blinking dumbly at Mammon for a few seconds. What did he just... do? How could he see that?

"They're the mother's. I found a picture of a family back there. Mom, dad and three siblings. She fought off the Bigfoot so everyone else could escape."

"How'd ya know that?" 

"I... I don't know. I touched the floor here and then I sort of... saw it?" Ren sounded crazy, seeing visions like he was clairvoyant. It came so naturally though, a hand to the ground and suddenly he knew the full story, the complete picture. He was never one to be overly superstitious, but this was unexplainable. 

"I don't mean to put thoughts in your head baby, but could you be sorta like, a medium?" 

"I don't think I am? My parents always said I was a weird baby and an even weirder kid. I'd laugh at things that weren't there, make grabby hands in my crib like I wanted to be picked up by someone else they couldn't see. I guess anything's possible though. I mean, I'm enrolled at a school filled to the brim with demons." Ren never remembered doing any of the things his parents told him about. They were miles more religious than he was, prone to believing Ren was sensitive to "spirits" or ghosts. He had many run-ins with sleep paralysis, but thought nothing more of it than a manifestation of a lack of sleep and stress rather than something supernatural. 

"If what you're saying is right, then why does this place seem like it was spared? A powerful demoness and a Bigfoot totally would've done some damage, yeah?" Mammon hypothesized. He was right, there was relatively little to no evidence of the fight. The faded scratch on the wall was the only indication anything ever happened down here. 

"Okay. I know I already sound crazy with the vision stuff, but I think it was _her_. When I looked at that family photo she just seemed so... nurturing. Maybe she tidied the place up? Like her ghost or something. I can't explain it, I just feel like it was her." Is that possible, can ghosts do that? 

"You're the weirdest human I've ever met." 

"Wow, thanks dude." 

"And I love you so much because of it." Mammon held Ren's face and peppered his cheeks and forehead with feather-light kisses, the grand finale a smooch on the lips. "We don't know everything, but let's call it case closed yeah? I picked up a hot, medium of a man along the way so this was a success!" Ren didn't want to leave just yet, but like always, he had other places to be. Funny how that worked. When they entered he couldn't wait to leave and now he was wishing for a few more minutes.

Having been satisfied with their findings, they left the house, hand-in-hand. What they didn't notice on their way out was the mother at the top of the steps. She watched them leave, a small grin graced her lips. At last, someone had found this place and her story. She felt like she could finally rest with the knowledge that at least one person in the universe knew her tale. 

_Lovely pair,_ she thought as she watched them fade from view.

-

Dinner went accordingly, Mammon and Ren just narrowly made it in time. Diavolo went around the table and asked what everyone did in their free time. When it came to Mammon and Ren, they simply answered they had a walk in the forest, nothing exciting or eventful. They weren't sure how exactly to break the news Ren could do... whatever that was.

Afterwards, Ren helped with the cleanup, throwing away excess food from plates and assisting with the dishes. Diavolo announced it was movie night and instructed everyone to change into their pajamas. He didn't reveal what was going to be put on, but Ren hoped it wasn't a horror movie. With the day's events he had enough spook to last the rest of the trip. 

Ren took a seat next to Beelzebub and the orange-haired twin happily accepted the seating arrangement. He threw an arm around Ren, tugged him close to his side. "Look so pretty tonight," Beelzebub mumbled against his ear, a teasing bite placed at his lobe. Ren squirmed, a hand slapped against Beelzebub's chest.

"Beel, not here! The others will see," Ren hushedly reprimanded.

"Oh fine. Anything for my pretty boy," Beelzebub cooed. He nosed along Ren's cheek and pressed a kiss there. Ren didn't mind this innocent display of affection and returned it with a sweet kiss on the lips. Beelzebub stared at him in a romantic daze, wished so badly he could whisk his Ren away to his bedroom and kiss him silly.

To Ren's dismay, Diavolo played a horror movie. Apparently it was a Devildom knock-off called "The Summoning" and Ren was pretty certain he knew exactly which human movie it was based off of. He hid into Beelzebub's shoulder most of the time, and the times he was brave enough to look at the screen he ended up shrieking. The brothers poked fun at him, Mammon saying he didn't realize Diavolo rented a comedy. His mighty knight Beelzebub came to his defense and implored his siblings to not make fun of Ren.

"All we're saying is that you punched a Fiend in the face with your bare fist yet you're screaming at some fake blood and prosthetics," Satan chuckled.

"But you don't understand! Evil spirits are scaryyyuuuhhhhh," Ren whined. 

The rest of the viewing played out similarly. Ren's shrieks were reduced to whimpers, he continued to shield his eyes behind Beelzebub's large frame and everyone else thought it was the funniest thing ever. Hmph, meanies.

Soon, the reign of terror ceased and Ren's heart rate was able to return to a healthy pace. He apologized in advance for the scars that would stay on Beelzebub's skin from clawing into his arms so hard. Beelzebub brushed it off with a kiss and told Ren he didn't mind. 

"Okay guys, but seriously _fuck_ that movie." Uproarious laughter filled the air, even Beelzebub laughed a little.

"It appears our star human student has a weakness after all," Diavolo said.

Calling it a day, Diavolo bade everyone a goodnight and retired to his room. Ren kissed Beelzebub one more time and thanked him again for protecting his sanity. He returned to his room, plopping onto the bed and whipping out his D.D.D. to check his socials. Thank you fancy cabin wifi! Lucifer had posted a gorgeous photo of the sun setting between a few trees, probably taken when Mammon and Ren were off exploring. Asmodeus uploaded a photo of him, Satan and Leviathan collectively wearing face masks, no doubt the works of Asmodeus's constant advocacy for skincare. 

Ren continued scrolling, soon joined by Belphegor who huddled beside him. The youngest brother begged Ren to put his phone down and go to sleep, the length of the day ready to consume them both. Ren complied, setting his phone down on the drawer and turning his back to Belphegor. Heat encompassed his backside while an arm threw itself around his waist, a familiar position. Ren contently sighed, sleep on its way to lay siege to his heavy eyelids. 

-

He couldn't see a thing, vision consumed by darkness. He was standing, that's for sure, but where? Panic had already set in, his heart thumped loudly and the sound of blood pounded in his ears. He couldn't remember how he got here, or why there wasn't an ounce of light for seemingly miles.

"Ren!" he heard someone shout. He spun around, but there was no one to be seen. It sounded like Satan, he recognized the timbre of his voice. Where is he then? 

"Ren!" Again. This time more urgent. Maybe... Asmodeus? And then it happened again, and again, and again until his name was practically being screamed at him by body-less voices and he crumpled to the ground and cried. He pulled his knees to his chest and sobbed into them, cheeks tear-stained. 

Then it stopped. 

He looked up. All seven brothers now surrounded him, towering over his defeated figure with an impending maliciousness. They pointed at him and then laughed, evil and painstakingly piercing. Hyena-like howls filled the endless void as they boisterously cackled at him. He helplessly watched as he was berated with laughter, for reasons he wasn't aware of and for reasons he didn't want to know. 

"You're pathetic," Lucifer spat. Ren's stomach sickeningly churned, a horrible ache stabbing at his chest. He couldn't bear the humiliation anymore and thrust his head back down to his knees, their howls somehow louder than before, billowed and more horrid. Ren cried into his knees, anguish overtaking him, desperately wishing for it all to stop.

And then he woke up. 

His eyes shot open, residual anxiety from the nightmare greeting him. His skin was damp from a cold-sweat, mind scrambled. At some time during the night, Belphegor had separated from him, now on the opposite side of the bed. Ren shakily inhaled, carefully reaching for his phone to check the time. 5:30 in the morning. Great, he was wide awake from a shitty dream and no one was bound to be up for at least another couple hours. Lying still would just drive him crazy, so he quietly rose from the bed and tiptoed out of the room. He headed for the patio outside, the beginnings of dawn casting a creeping light over the house and forest. 

Brisk morning air met his skin as he stepped outside. Ren rubbed at his arms for warmth though the chill was a nice contrast to how hot his skin felt. He hunched over the wooden railing that dipped into the connecting stairs to the forest adjacent to it. Fingers ran through his hair, his internal monologue already underway.

What did that dream mean? Is that how he still felt inside? Like he was just a pathetic human in their eyes? He knew that wasn't the case anymore, he'd shunned that thought from his mind a while ago. And with the new mental health resources for humans provided at the Devildom (he was fairly certain that's what Lucifer's research was for), Ren was diligently working on retraining his negative thoughts. Maybe this was his subconscious being a dick. Ugh, what if all of his progress was for nothing? He felt like he was back at square one and nothing could be more frustrating.

Disoriented by conflicting feelings, Ren didn't hear the patio door slide open, or the footsteps approaching and he nearly missed the unforgettable cuddle-bug backhug that could only belong to one person. 

"Bad dream?" Belphegor mumbled, his cheek pressed to Ren's lower neck, hands coming together to hold Ren's stomach. The contact surprised him, but his brain quickly registered who it was. Ren sighed, turned around and wrapped his arms around Belphegor's neck. They embraced in a comforting hug, Belphegor rubbing up and down Ren's back. Ren buried his face into the side of his friend's neck. His arms had tightened around the other and he knew he couldn't contain the eventual onslaught of emotions.

A shaky breath escaped his lips as tears pricked at his eyes. One of his hands came to play with the hair at the back of Belphegor's head, a distracting action in an attempt to shove down a choked sob. The tightness in his chest didn't help, that stifled cry raced back toward the surface. Ren wasn't going to fight it this time, he was too tired to pretend to be strong and so he wept on Belphegor's shoulder, his fingers clamping down on him like he'd slip away if he didn't hold tight enough.

"I know buddy, I know. It was just a bad dream, okay? I'm here now, I've got you," Belphegor said. He soothingly voiced more calming affirmations, eventually getting Ren to stabilize.

They never broke the hug. Even after calming down, Belphegor knew Ren responds best to affectionate and reassuring physical contact. He'd stay here with Ren in his arms for the next few hours if that's what it took. That and he hated seeing Ren like this. Which always sort of sent him for a whirlwind since he used to despise humans so much, but Ren had changed that. And now he'd do nearly anything for him, for his best friend.

"You wanna talk about it?" Belphegor asked, Ren kept tightly in his arms. 

"Y-Yeah," Ren sniffled. He finally pulled away, going back to leaning on the railing. "It was pitch black and I couldn't see anything, all I could hear was you guys calling for me and I couldn't find anyone. Then I cried but somehow you all appeared around me? And there was so much pointing and laughing and Lucifer called me pathetic and... _shit_." He'd started to cry again, swiped at his eyes to clear his teary vision. Belphegor placed a hand on his shoulder, squeezing, before Ren continued.

"I just thought I'd be over this by now, you know? This stupid fear you guys all think I'm weak, or pathetic, or worse. I dunno, I've been regularly going to that resource center and I've been doing so well. It's just hard not to feel like I'm back where I started." Ren played with his fingers to keep himself somewhat busy, rubbing the pad of his thumb against his opposite hand's middle finger. Maybe he wasn't making as much progress as he thought...

"I can't say I'm an expert on the human psyche or anything, but these things take time Ren. These insecurities are deeply rooted. And I don't wanna knock you, but a few weeks worth of visits to the mental health center can't magically fix that. Hell, I don't even think _magic_ canfix that. What's important is you keep going, don't give up at the first bump in the road." It's not what Ren wanted to hear, but it's what he _needed_ to hear. It was okay to feel defeated, like it'll never be better. It was part of the process, as grueling, uncomfortable and exhausting as it can be.

"You're right Belphie. I... I needed that. Sorry, also, for waking you. I tried to be quiet. Guess it didn't work," Ren sheepishly grinned, rubbing the back of his head. He knew how precious Belphegor's sleepy-time was. 

"Ah, whatever, I don't mind. Let's try to go back to sleep though, yeah? No one will nag us for at least another two hours and I heard Diavolo has this entire day planned so I need to sleep." 

They fell back into the position they started with, Belphegor's arm slung over Ren's waist, this time holding him closer to his chest. Ren hummed, fulfilled, and huddled impossibly closer to Belphegor's warmth. Even after his time in the Devildom was up, he'd always be eternally grateful to have made a friend like Belphegor. Someone he could turn to who wasn't a loving partner, but someone who was an honest and sincere friend. And as sleep drew near again, he only had one thing on his mind.

He hoped everyone would find their Belphegor.

\- 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Damn... Now I want myself a lil Belphegor LMAOOOO


	15. Restless Retreat Pt. 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A peaceful hike turns into quite the predicament.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Really sorry for the long hiatus, but I hope this extra long chapter sitting pretty at 8k+ words makes up for it! Can't believe we hit 200 kudos now on this little baby, so keep the love coming cause I love it :D So proud of this one and I hope you all enjoy it <3

Ren stirred from his sleep, the pressure at his backside remaining. What time was it? Light glowingly seeped in through the small windows, illuminating the wall just above their heads, a sign it was well into the morning now. He slightly shifted, craning his neck to look over at Belphegor who was still sound asleep, bangs swept over his eyes. Ren gently shook him.

"Hey Belphie, it's time to get up." Belphegor groaned in protest, clutching Ren tighter against his chest. Ren smiled and sat up, running a hand through Belphegor's hair. "I'm gonna wash up, get a few more minutes in before they come get you." Another disgruntled sound came from the half-asleep boy, confirming he heard Ren but was absolutely going to stay in bed as long as possible.

Ren brushed his teeth and attempted to fix his bedhead, certain sections of it sticking out in every direction. "Chicken head" Mammon had called him one time. He made his way to the kitchen and found Diavolo in a tank-top and pajamas, working diligently on the stove. 

"Morning," Ren said, dispelling a yawn shortly after. He poked through the fridge, on the hunt for a water bottle to quench his parched throat.

"Hey there Ren! Breakfast won't be ready for a little bit and mostly everyone is still asleep. How'd you sleep?" Diavolo turned to Ren, a friendly smile plastered to his face while he jiggled the pan in his hand. It was always a little awkward speaking to the head of the academy alone, and it was even more off-putting that for one, being a demon, and two, a high ranking authoritative figure, Diavolo was exceptionally kind.

"Alright. Had a bad dream, but Belphegor calmed me down and I fell back asleep," he answered honestly. Nothing got by Diavolo, Ren was sure of it, so there was no point in lying. After that wicked assignment he gave him a while ago he'd accepted Diavolo probably knew everything that happened between him and the brothers. 

"Ah, I thought I heard some shuffling early this morning. You two seem to be close, yes?"

"Yeah we are. Not like that though, Belphie and I click better as good friends." Diavolo hummed in acknowledgement, a heavy silence falling between them. Ren twiddled his thumbs, unsure of what to say next. The extenuating silence became... awkward, hovering over them like a dark cloud, assumedly threatening but not inherently brandishing of ill will. If someone could just waltz into the kitchen right then and save the day, Ren would be overjoyed. 

"Oh, I believe Satan is awake! If you'd like to find him he's outside, probably on a nearby rock with a book." Diavolo gave Ren another welcoming smile, the kind where his eyes mimicked his mouth. 

"Cool, I'll go find him. Thanks." Was that too brisk? Did Ren sound disinterested? He hoped Diavolo didn't take it the wrong way, he was only terrified of being alone with him for more than a few minutes. 

As Ren left to search for Satan, Diavolo brought his attention back to the stove. _What will it take for him to be less scared of me_ , he thought. He smirked to himself, shook his head and continued with the cooking task at hand.

-

"There you are!" Ren chirped. He'd finally found Satan sat criss-crossed on a large rock, a book in one hand and a purple apple (most likely poisonous) in the other. Satan peered up from his captivating novel, an immediate happiness settling in his chest as Ren approached.

"Good morning my scruffy prince." Satan pat the spot next to him, inviting Ren to sit. He plopped down next to him, pressing a kiss to his cheek, Satan leaning into the contact. 

"How's that book coming along? I take it you find it interesting," Ren said, noticing it was the same one he was reading in the car yesterday.

"Yes! Oh my, it's been so interesting. The protagonist found out who the killer is, but because of certain circumstances they're faced with the daunting decision of protecting the killer's identity or turning them over to the authorities. Quite the riveting read and I'm not even half way done, so I'm left thinking how it will end andmnnh!" Satan was interrupted by Ren pressing their mouths together, Ren's hand grabbing at the back of the blond's hair. 

"Oh, was I rambling? Sorry about that," Satan blushed. He tended to do that, especially around Ren since he seemed to be the only one actually interested in his hobby. He cherished the times they spent together in each others' rooms. Ren would clack away at his laptop's keyboard while Satan tuned it out, eyes glued to the pages in front of him. They didn't always have to be speaking to each other, to simply exist around one another filled Satan with an indescribable joy.

"No, you just looked so handsome I couldn't control myself anymore." Satan also liked that about Ren. His shameless flirting, unabashed advances. It always kept him on his toes, never knowing when Ren might strike. He'd even consulted Asmodeus at one point in order to keep up with the banter. 

Satan brought their lips back together, a warm hand squeezed at the inside of Ren's thigh. "Hmm, I've missed you." Admitting Satan had a fondness for doing this too felt boorish of him, so he never outwardly expressed it. But the times their quiet evenings turned into breathless moans, hands roaming, clothes discarded, he cherished those too. Satan had been embarrassed their first time doing more than just kissing, blurted out at some point he wanted to "make love" to him. Ren just smiled, softly said "okay" and promised Satan he'd felt the same way, but they could do that another night.

"Missed you too handsome," Ren mumbled against him. They kissed for a bit, their grazing fingertips never moving anywhere erogenous. Ren stifled their motions with a hand that cupped Satan's cheek. "Trust me, I want to do this all day. But Diavolo made breakfast, told me where to find you."

"Unfortunate. I could just steal you away and kiss you senseless. Sadly, I suppose we have other places to be." They walked back to the cabin, Satan cheekily spanking Ren's butt with his book. Something about his butt and shorts... a dangerous combo.

"Hey!" Ren scolded.

"What? You know how I feel about your bottom, Mister Thunder Buns."

"Okay, that is _seriously_ the worst nickname ever!"

-

After breakfast, Diavolo laid out the day's agenda, packed with only one, but lengthy festivity. A hike. A tiresome, cumbersome, physically strenuous hike. A few groans passed around the table at its announcement, Asmodeus insisting perspiring is the ugliest thing one can do and Belphegor suggesting they all take a lovely nap as a replacement activity. Diavolo assured them though, they would not regret partaking in the mild exercise. That remained to be seen.

Ren finished his morning routine, taking a shower and slapping on some ultra-protective deodorant. He packed a backpack with a few supplementary supplies for their trip. Extra travel-size deodorant stick? Check. Water bottle? Check. D.D.D. device? Check. Some snack bars for when his stomach starts to grumble? Check. 

They regrouped on the patio, Diavolo running through their checklist one more time. Thankfully they had or there would have been one very dehydrated Mammon. With that, they set out into the forest. Diavolo didn't disclose a specific destination and instead only prompted them with "just trust me." He lead alone at the front, the rest of them breaking off into small groups behind him. 

Leviathan joined Ren's side, bumping their shoulders. "Is it okay if I walk with you?" he asked, shyly looking up through his bangs. 

"Sure, I could use some handsome company," Ren winked, linking their fingers together. The two of them had progressed enough in their relationship that Leviathan didn't go _as_ red anymore at Ren's purposely taunting remarks. Still, it didn't take much to reduce the blue-haired man to a puddle of goo. 

"Rennnn," Leviathan whined, looking away. "You know how that makes me feel." 

"I know. Can't help it when you're this cute." He planted a firm kiss to Leviathan's cheek, pulling away with a dramatic "mwah!" If Leviathan hadn't melted before, he was completely sunken into the earth now, so badly wishing he was somewhere less public so he could pass away in peace. 

"Hey! No funny business with my man!" Mammon yelled. A brief thudding sound and a defeated mewl from Mammon came a few seconds later, most likely thanks to Lucifer. "No fair, you guys are always hitting me in the head."

They trekked on for the better part of an hour. Leviathan and Ren broke away from their hands' embrace every now and then (Leviathan's palms tended to get sweaty around him). The brothers behind them talked aimlessly about whatever, the main commentators Asmodeus and Mammon. Ren took in his surroundings, the fullness of the woods around them. The longer they walked, the more dense the forest appeared to get. Light shone through the slivers of passage allowed by the thick trees, the sunshine's glow dimming. Ren thought it was beautiful, reminiscent of his home's northern region. For a city boy, every trip up to the mountains he'd made as a kid and young teenager rejuvenated him in ways he hadn't understood at the time. Similarly to home, it was nice to break away from the hustle and bustle of the academy, this weekend getaway a needed treat.

Eventually, Diavolo stopped the group to recuperate. Also, to see that Mammon hadn't somehow wandered off. They rested against various trees and rocks, taking swigs of water and chewing on their brought snacks. Diavolo called them back, explaining the most "fun" part of their journey.

"Alright everyone! We are about to enter the Weirdwood, and as many of you know this is the home of the faeries. I strongly advise you to keep your eyes directly ahead as they may try to lead you astray from the path. This could prove to be quite problematic, but I am confident we will have an exciting and adventurous rest of the trip!" 

Ren remembered reading an entire chapter about Devildom inhabitants for a class he took. That instructor had clearly taken an interest in the faeries as she raved about them for nearly an entire class period. They were small little creatures, probably no larger than four to six inches in height. Contrary to popular belief, the faeries weren't exactly... evil, just mischievous. They weren't a belligerent people by nature, though their own goals and personal entertainment could be met at the expense of others. 

They traveled for another couple miles before stopping again near a shallow pond. So far, no problems. Perhaps for once, Diavolo's faith in the brothers wouldn't be misplaced. Not that it would ever be anyone else's fault except Mammon's if something did go awry. But that truth didn't need to be verbally expressed. 

Ren sat at the edge of the pond's bank, munching on chips. Leviathan dropped down next to him. He looked around to see if anyone was near them, decided the coast was clear and snagged a very suggestive kiss from Ren, his hand resting a little too high on the other's thigh. Ren was caught by surprise, a startled noise catching in his throat before turning to a strangled grunt. 

"Woah, nice to see you too," Ren lopsidedly grinned when he pulled away. "What was that for? You get red in the face every time I hold your hand."

"I know, I've been working on being more... sexy," Leviathan blushed again, looking off to the side of Ren's face. "Did it work? Was I... you know. Asmodeus said spontaneity can be desirable." 

"You've been getting tips from Asmo?"

"Yeah. I'm aware I'm not really... hot, or like insanely attractive, and I don't have a lot of sex appeal. But I want you to see me that way. I can be, like, your sexy nerd boyfriend." 

"C'mon, no self-deprecating! You're just as charming as everyone else, in your own special way. And for the record, you are _so_ my sexy nerd boyfriend." Leviathan giggled, cradling his face in the crook of Ren's neck. They kissed a few more seconds after that, Leviathan's warm hand returning to the inside of Ren's upper thigh.

"Mmm, as much as I want to kiss my hot gamer man for hours, I really need to pee. Forgive me?" Ren murmured against Leviathan's mouth, pecking it one last time.

"Okay, fine. When you come back though I expect more kisses. Diavolo says we have another twenty minutes of our break left." Ren gave a thumbs up and left to find an unwilling tree to urinate on. He quietly told the trunk of the tree he meant no disrespect and that he didn't want to flash everyone his dick, in case some forest deity decided to smite him. While tucking himself back in his pants, he noticed a small flashing light in his periphery. He turned to find a small orb-like shape glowing, flickering a short ways away from him. 

He remembered Diavolo's warning, diverging from their intended path could cause issues. But the luminescent figure wasn't too far from everyone else, Leviathan's blue little head would still be in view. What could be the harm in checking it out? 

Ren crept nearer, trying to keep the sound of the rustling leaves beneath him to a minimum. The closer he got, the spherical shape of light dimmed until it revealed a petite, winged creature. Ren could only assume this was a faerie as it matched the description he'd seen in his classes. 

"Sir, you've gotta help me!" it squeaked before flying directly in front of Ren's face, almost making him cross-eyed. From what he could see the woodland local was much closer to a _she,_ rather than an it. She wore a purple bodice that looked as if it was made from dyed leaves. The piece of clothing covered all the necessary bits and pieces without revealing too much. Her hair was dark black, propped up into two buns on both sides of her head and her face had the most adorable features. If she was human, Ren thought she'd be just the cutest little thing.

"Sorry, I don't think I caught your name-"

"Ilya! My name is Ilya, but that doesn't matter right now. Please, you have to help me! My entire village is in trouble." Her eyes quivered with an urgency that matched her tone. Maybe Ren should go back and ask the others for their assistance. They'd probably be of more help.

"Ren! You're taking too long, I know humans don't have an extraordinary bladder!" Leviathan called. "Aha, found you." Leviathan seemed to not notice the other present person until Ren gestured to her with his eyes. "Oh my gosh, I didn't even see you there. Aren't you so cute?" Leviathan fawned, holding out his hand for Ilya to stand on. She accepted the invitation, landing gracefully on Leviathan's open palm.

"I was just explaining to your friend here that I'm in need of help. My village has fallen victim to Fiends, their ruler took our Queen!" Ren and Leviathan looked back at each other. Fiends. It's always those goddamn Fiends.

"Boys? What are you doing?" Diavolo's voice interrupted, a few feet away from them. Aaaand this was the part where Ren gets turned to ash. Or, that was what he thought would happen. He sheepishly turned, awkwardly laughing and scratching the back of his head.

"Heyyy, Diavolo." His voice was weak, a mixture of embarrassed and afraid. "So... I went to go pee. And I think Ilya here wanted to get my attention. And now she's asking me for help to rescue her village's Queen. From Fiends. Heheh." At this point, Ilya had flown from Leviathan's hand to rest on top of Ren's head, looking earnestly at Diavolo.

"I'm afraid we cannot assist you, Ilya. We have our own plans to attend to. Come on boys, let's head back to the group."

"No, wait!" Ilya shouted, desperate.

There was an ear-splitting ring, Ren sinking to the ground and covering his ears in hopes to diminish its intensity. It was no use, it felt like the sound was coming from inside his head, monstrously screaming at him. He shut his eyes in pain, teeth grit, pleading for it to stop. Everything went white for a few seconds, and when Ren opened his eyes again, the sound had completely faded. "W-What the hell was that?!" he said, slightly breathless. Had it carried on any longer he swore his eardrums would've been severely damaged.

"I believe we have been trapped. Ilya has blocked us from reuniting with our friends, most likely until we help her. Those faeries sure know how to get what they want!" Diavolo laughed good-naturedly, as if this wasn't entirely Ren's fault and that there was no problem at all.

"Can faeries do that?" Leviathan asked.

"Of course, in other regions they're guardians of the forest. Their magic is especially strong in these parts," Diavolo explained, his joyous timbre ever-present. "No matter though. Once we have helped, I'm sure Ilya will allow us to return to our group."

"That's right!" a high-pitched voice crowed. Ilya flew in the middle of the three of them, particles falling from her wings, probably faerie magic. "I'm sorry to do it this way, but this is very important to me and my people. Now please, follow me!"

-

Mammon paced around nervously, brows furrowed, the continual cracking of forest leaves beneath his shoes. "Maybe we should go looking for them. It's been over a half hour, somethin' bad could've happened!" He had to know if Ren was okay. _Lord Diavolo, please let Ren be okay._

"No, Mammon. We need to stay here when they come back. Besides, we'd all just get lost too and that would help no one," Lucifer reasoned. Normally, Lucifer would scold his younger brother for being irrational, yank on his hair to get him to "stop being an absolute moron." But this was about Ren, so he forgave his idiocy. "Now stop pacing, and sit down."

Mammon huffed, unhappy with the answer but complying anyway. He slumped beside Lucifer, pulling his knees to his chest and burying his head between them. He hated not knowing. 

"You fret too much Mammon. Worrying makes you breakout. And then you become hideous!" Asmodeus said, sat on the other side of Lucifer, examining his nails. Any other time and he'd have thought Asmodeus was being his usual obnoxious self, but Mammon recognized this was his way of comforting him. 

"Okay, well since there's nothing else to do, Lucifer." The oldest curiously looked at Mammon at the mention of his name. He knew by that little gleam in Mammon's bastardly eyes he had nothing good planned. "You top? Or bottom." 

Lucifer's mouth hung open, words failing him. His mind scrambled to find quite literally anything to say. He should slap Mammon on the back of the head for being so absurd. 

"Ooh, yes! Do tell Luci," Asmodeus purred next to him. Thankfully Beelzebub, Satan and Belphegor were over near the pond so they couldn't hear any of this preposterous conversation. Seriously, he was sure he had done a much better job than raising such perverted siblings. 

"I am _not_ having this conversation with you," Lucifer said, crossing his arms and refusing to look at either them. It was none of their business anyway.

"Oh, he totally bottoms," Mammon snickered, Asmodeus joining with an amused giggle. 

"You two didn't even know what those terms meant until a few months ago. Stop being stupid."

"C'mon Lucifer, don't be lame man!" Mammon pressed, nudging the oldest's side. "You're the only one that's really gotten to third base with him, so spill!" 

It was clear they were not going to drop the subject, so he might as well divulge the little piece of information they were seeking. Even if he'd much rather bury Mammon into the ground than answer him. "If you _must_ know, Ren is a very... passionate lover. So I don't mind receiving." Mammon and Asmodeus broke into fits of laughter, clutching their stomachs as tears threatened to spill from their eyes. 

"What?" Lucifer asked, annoyed. "If I'd known you were going to be so childish about it, I would've maimed you beforehand." There was nothing to be embarrassed about, his masculinity was not so easily disturbed. Even if his own brothers ridiculed him.

"It's nothing Luci, we just expected a very different answer. There's nothing to be ashamed of," Asmodeus chortled, wiping away a stray tear. "Though I will say, the thought of you submitting to someone is a little funny."

"Well then what about you two morons? Seems unequal I'm the only one sharing." Lucifer knows he's going to regret participating in this stupid conversation later, but admittedly he was also a little curious too. Between them all, they'd never had any real open dialogue about each of their personal relationships with Ren. Especially not like this.

"Asmodeus one hundred percent bottoms," Mammon undoubtedly confirmed.

"Mmm. I wouldn't be so sure Mammie-dear. Think again."

"But you're so... y'know," Mammon gestured, flapping his hand down with his fingers held close together. Lucifer had to silently agree. He knew femininity didn't automatically equate to submissiveness (which was a stupid concept he couldn't believe the humans had invented), but it did seem more likely Ren would take control there. 

"What? Flamboyant?" Mammon nodded and Asmodeus rolled his eyes.

"He's an anomaly, that Ren. He likes it though, my feminine charms, told me himself. When he comes to me, it's a different experience for him. And he soaks up as much as he can take. He'll hold me and cradle me like the delicate flower I am, but when we're physically intimate I know what he wants. Knows he needs me to break him apart and put him back together. We haven't fully done it and everything, but close." Lucifer went red at the blunt vulgarity of Asmodeus' confession. It sounded so painstakingly honest it was impossible to write it off as one of his delusional fantasies. He shouldn't have expected anything less from him.

"Man, I can't help but be a little jealous. Ren and I haven't done much besides kissing and a few heated makeouts. I've wanted to do more, and he does too, just 'haven't found the right time' he says." Mammon leaned back on his hands, stretching out his legs. "I guess it's true. Not sure though how we'd navigate... that. Could go either way. I don't think I wanna take it really if I'm being honest. He seems really big down there."

"He's huge," Asmodeus and Lucifer both said with perfect synchroneity. Lucifer's head snapped to his younger brother's, eyes wide, a mortified look on his face. _I can't believe I just said that._

Asmodeus and Mammon erupted into another session of stomach-clenching laughter.

"I hate both of you. This discussion is over."

-

The band of four made their way to an incredibly small village, too small for them to enter. Its perimeter formed a perfect circle, not much bigger than an average human bedroom, fortified by walls made of an assortment of wood and some metals. Ilya told them to wait outside the gates and the remaining three looked about their surroundings. This part of the forest seemed like any other. The leaves tended to be darker shades of red and orange, and small streams seemed to provide a healthy water supply for the village. Other than that, if anyone was casually strolling by, the miniature town could easily be missed. Good thing Ilya told them to wait outside. One misplaced, clumsy step from Leviathan and several houses would be demolished.

Ren was still reeling from the guilt of it all, that sinking feeling weighing heavy in his chest. If only he had gone piss and then mosied right back over to Leviathan immediately. Diavolo's opinion of him had been more than likely lowered. No longer the star human student. He was just another annoying, dumb human who had gone and messed everything up and-

"Ren, please. I can almost hear your thoughts as loudly as they're swimming and splashing about in your mind. Relax, it's okay," Diavolo said, a hand on his shoulder. The warmth of DIavolo's touch was consoling, but it didn't change what was plaguing him. 

"It's not okay, I feel like a dumbass for getting us into this. Thank you though, for being kind." Ren gave the headmaster a small smile and a small nod, appreciative of his generosity. He tried to shake it off, resisting the urge to mentally self-flagellate. _You're human, you make mistakes, and it's okay._

"To be perfectly honest, I expected something to go wrong. However, in my imagined scenario I pictured Mammon would be to blame, haha!" Diavolo heartily laughed. A part of Ren didn't like that Mammon was always put to blame when things went haywire, even if most (all) of the time he was at fault. Still, the joke made him snort and forced a smile out of him. "Ahh! There's that smile. I told you things would be fine."

Ilya returned from the miniscule gate shortly after with another companion, both of them struggling to hold a sheathed dagger twice their size. Ren lowered his hands and allowed the pair to rest on his open palms. The fatigued faeries took a few short breaths before regaining their chipper composure.

"Everyone, this is Adan. He's our village's weapons-smith," Ilya motioned to their new guest, "He made this dagger here in hopes that a champion, or someone much bigger than us, would help retrieve our Queen in our honor. And you guys are huge!" 

"Yeah!" Adan trilled. "To get her back you have to challenge the Fiend's leader to a one-on-one duel. The dagger I made has special properties enchanted to it that makes it extra powerful against those rascals." Adan spoke quickly and cheerfully, his toothy smile reaching up to his eyes. He had fiery orange hair like Beelzebub and wore a monochrome look of green pants and a loose-fitted shirt. Ren observed that faeries must not believe in shoes as neither Ilya or Adan wore any. 

"Their encampment is a mile directly north of here according to our scouts. Now, off you go our noble heroes!" Ilya bellowed, waving goodbye to them before flying back into her village, Adan following close behind. 

They set off in the specified direction with no time to waste, Ren stuffing the knife in his pocket. The bits of sky above that were visually accessible let them know it was the later afternoon, evening slowly settling in. Once they were out of sight from the faerie village, Diavolo cleared his throat. 

"This challenging the leader business seems unnecessary. Leviathan and I will just raid their holdout, shouldn't be more than thirty of them. We'll reclaim the Queen and be on our merry way, yes?" Diavolo proposed, halting his steps to look to Ren and Leviathan for approval. 

"I was thinking the same thing too. We can use that weapon they gave us. Should be super-easy, like a boss battle but with an OP character and max level gear," Leviathan agreed. He was proud of that analogy.

"What? No!" Ren instantly countered. These two had to be out of their mind! "You heard what they said, we should follow the plan they advised."

"Ren, it'll be much easier if we grab and go. We'll knock some skulls and return to our group in no time. Trust me, this will work," Diavolo soothingly asserted. 

"Work for who, exactly? Us? What about the faeries? What happens when the Fiends regroup and attack them again, huh? Did you think about that, or were you blinded by your own selfishness, by your own personal inconvenience?" Ren had raised his voice, he realized this, at the same time he realized he just shouted at the future king of all demons. 

"Ren! You can't speak to Lord Diavolo that way," Leviathan hastily reprimanded, pulling him by his elbow to back off. If there was one thing Ren disliked more than blatantly immoral decisions, it was being told what to do.

"I don't give a flaming fiery _fuck!_ I'm not purposely putting other peoples' lives in danger for my own temporary benefit. We're doing this the right way, I don't care what you guys say." Ren failed to recognize a few things. One, that he was human and ultimately had no power against nearly anything in the Devildom. Two, he just yelled at two of the most powerful _demons_ to exist about _morality._ And three, Diavolo and Leviathan could easily do as they please and disregard any of what he said.

Diavolo sighed and looked at Ren again whose expression hadn't changed, unwavering and sturdy with his stance. "Okay. We do it your way." 

"W-What? Just like that," Ren asked, a little bewildered at the sudden change in judgement. 

"I can see there is no talking you out of this. And I fear that if I upset you, I'll upset the others too. I do not wish to cross anyone. After all, I created the exchange program at RAD to learn from and co-exist with others from the different realms. It would be hypocritical of me to dismiss any dissenting opinions, especially from a star pupil." 

Ren huffed out an "okay then" and started walking again, Diavolo trailing behind this time. He understood something a little bit better, not just about humans, but about Ren, what made him so alluring. He hadn't always grasped why the brothers had taken a liking to him, to a human of all beings. It was Ren's passion, to fight for what he knew was right. Diavolo was well aware of his faults too, recalling the time when Lucifer came to his office misty-eyed after a particularly hurtful lovers' spat. Ren was hot-headed, irrational with damage of his own that reared itself in ugly ways sometimes. But at the core of his being, he was _good._ Whole-heartedly, unshakably, irrevocably good. And good was hard to come by in the Devildom.

He was just one student, but Diavolo supposed Ren had been teaching him for longer than he'd realized.

-

Belphegor was tossing rocks into the small pond, making them skip if possible. Beelzebub sat beside him, watching in awe as he happily stuffed his face with a sandwich. Satan rested his head on Beelzebub's lap, staring up at the trees, uselessly trying to count how many leaves were on each.

"So guys, what's the deal with your favorite boy?" Belphegor questioned, continuing to skip rocks. He'd heard very modest stories from Ren, having to poke and prod and pry and plead until his best friend had finally loosened his lips. He knew he'd get a much different tale from Satan and Beelzebub.

"Depends Belphie, what would you like to know?" Satan said, moving from counting leaves to branches. He wished for Ren's swift return because he was running out of things to account for in these woods. 

"Y'know, like the _spicy_ stuff," the youngest smirked, wiggling his eyebrows. 

Satan thought this was stupid. Immature and stupid. But his own inquisitiveness was getting the better of him. He'd wanted to know if him and Ren were being slow compared to everyone else, if maybe he should quicken their pace slightly. 

"Mmm... Like a flaming hot triple-decker Devilburger. That's what Ren is," Beelzebub hummed delightedly, shutting his eyes. 

"No, dummy. I didn't mean compare him to food, I meant, like, the sexy stuff."

"Oh," Beelzebub realized, rubbing his chin contemplatively. He was somewhat bashful, certain private memories resurfacing in his mind. The way Ren looked up at him whenever he got like that, so small and needy and pliant. Well, Ren wasn't exactly _small_ (literally anywhere). In contrast to Beelzebub though, he was absolutely small. "It's nice. He looks at me this one way, and I just know. We haven't done... it. But, we do more than just kiss. I think he likes to initiate and take charge. I don't mind, even if it's funny seeing a small human do that." 

"Nice, Beelz," Belpehgor congratulated, ruffling his twin's hair. He wasn't one to overly emphasize his brothers' personal endeavors, but when it came to Beelzebub, Belphegor couldn't help feeling proud and excited for him. "Alright Satan, your turn."

Satan wasn't a fan of this kind of talk, thinking it too wanton, something reserved between you and your partner. Though, Beelzebub did just shamelessly share his own relationship's details, so maybe he should stop being so prudish. 

"Uh, what's there to say? Ren is a very impassioned lover. He treats me well in all intimate aspects of our relationship. That's all."

"C'mon Satan! Don't be a buzzkill!" Belphegor protested, lightly kicking at Satan's ankles. "Who's on top? Who's the more active one, that sort of stuff. I know you're not just reading books every time you're in his room."

"Ugh, don't be so barbaric about it," Satan retorted, swiping away loose strands of his blond hair that had fallen in front of his eyes. He sat up, removing himself from Beelzebub and tucking his feet underneath his thighs. "I guess you could say it varies. Similar to Beelzebub, Ren likes to be the assertive one. Though every once in a while we'll switch it up." 

Satan wasn't sure how to answer the second half of his brother's question. Nothing and no one had ever told him craving sex was wrong, he was a powerful demon for crying out loud! If you weren't involved every now and then it was suspicious. Still, the once faint echo of his primitive wants had been shoved to the front of his mind since Ren walked into his life. And Ren was just _so_ unashamed, his wandering hands always an invitation Satan could never refuse. How could he? 

He sighed, shook his head and ran his fingers through his hair, swept it completely off his face. "Ren is the more... upfront, or 'active', one. That's not to say I don't want to, because I do. But I have trouble expressing that."

"Mmm, I see," Belphegor responded, skipping another rock. What was that supposed to mean?

"What about you, Belphie? Anything up with you and Ren?" 

"Well, my beloved older brother Satan, the simple answer is no," he happily smiled. "We've talked about it, yeah. Even kissed a few times. But we ultimately agreed we don't make sense that way. I value our friendship more than a romantic relationship. It'd be pointless to force one. And we could always revisit that judgement later, though right now that's where we're both at. Best friends." Belphegor was the youngest, and in all of his brothers' eyes, the baby. It was easy to forget he was also an adult with his own lived experiences and personal maturity. 

"Aww, my little Belphie has grown so much," Beelzebub cooed, getting up and resting his chin on his twin's head, pulling him against his chest. 

"Eww. Beelz let go." Belphegor slapped at the arms wrapped tightly around his stomach, struggling to break free. This kind of proximity was reserved for Ren and not gross, patronizing older brothers gushing over him.

Satan sat back, adoringly watching the exchange, Belphegor flailing as Beelzebub only grasped him tighter, planting loving kisses on the side of his head. _Oh Belphie, forever our baby._

-

"The stronghold is just ahead," Diavolo pointed out, sidling up beside Ren. They'd walked in silence for a few minutes, all at a loss for words. Ren believed this was a good thing, the fact he'd yelled at Diavolo agonizingly settling in. He wasn't sure how offensive that was, if he'd broken some demon code of ethics. What if it was punishable by expulsion? Or what if Lucifer no longer respected him? Or what ifagh! He couldn't go down this rabbit hole right now, especially with Diavolo probably itching to tell him his thoughts were being loud again.

As the Fiend encampment came into view, the nervous thumping of Ren's heartbeat only picked up. The place didn't look very big, but it was still much larger than a small faerie village. Yeah, he'd punched one straight in the eye, but that was out of sheer annoyance. The possibility of having to legitimately face one down was... undesirable, at best. 

With the obvious spectacle of shoddy architecture, the base looked rather rough. The outside struggled to hold itself together, its outer ring of jaggedly chopped wood stacked high. At the entrance, a single flowing brown sheet dangled between two guards. At the sight of them, the Fiends snarled, wings at the ready, but neither moved to attack. 

"Here, let me handle this," Leviathan said, striding up to the provoked guards. Leviathan made a series of tongue-clicks, growls and hand gestures, all which were received welcomingly by the Fiends. Each of the creatures flapped their wings twice, moving off to the side to allow Leviathan access. He beckoned Ren and Diavolo to follow him. Ren thought it best not to question Leviathan's highly unusual skill for speaking... Fiend...ish?

Inside was crowded, the walls lined with the Devildom dwellers. They were relentlessly hissed at, Leviathan returning the hostility to those who got too close. There was no overhead covering, the trees above clearly visible from the ground. A few tents were set up, maybe for higher-ranking Fiends, though Ren wasn't sure if they had any type of military rankings aside from a leader. At the far end of the camp sat one of them, bigger than the rest, on a throne, constructed from the same materials outside. The leader. _Very dramatic,_ thought Diavolo. 

Leviathan approached it and made another bout of tongue clicks, wild hand movements and inhumane squawks. The leader lazily looked over the strange boy in front of him before his eyes shifted to Ren. It raised an arm, a claw pointed directly at him. Ren pointed at himself too, a puzzled look on his face. It made a few gargled noises then focused back to Leviathan, as if waiting for an answer.

"Heh, so..." Leviathan began, scratching at the back of his head, "their leader has chosen to fight you. I'm pretty sure it's because you're human. But, if you defeat 'em, it promised to leave the faeries alone and return the Queen."

"Ren, I can't ask you to do this," Diavolo objected. "You could be gravely injured." 

Ren inhaled, rubbing his face with his hands. "I have to, if it's the only way. First though, I want to see the Queen, so I know she's here." Ren stepped forward, beside Leviathan. The blood in his ears was pounding, his heart about ready to lurch from his chest. His hand searched for Leviathan's wrist, grasped it, his thumb making worried circles. Leviathan repeated Ren's statement back to the leader with even more unintelligible sounds. 

It flicked its claw forward a few times, a nearby resident getting the message and hastily retreating to the small space behind the throne. A cage rattled from behind, the Fiend returning and placing it next to the seat. In nothing short of a bird cage, a small figure sat dejectedly, collapsed over in exhaustion but still conscious. The flowy gown she wore was riddled with splotches of dirt, her long hair unkempt with strands sticking out in every which way. No wounds were present, but the Queen looked far from okay.

The bestial thing rhythmically clacked its teeth, got up and trotted to a tent. Ren watched its movements as it walked away. Still around a foot shorter than him, the leader wasn't the largest thing, but still noticeably bigger than its conscripts. A few of its people followed into the tent, its sheeted opening flapping back and forth. 

"Battle time!" Leviathan announced, wrapping Ren in an energetic embrace. "This is exactly like my one video game _Ruri-chan Ruins and Restores the Day By Annihilating Her Squadmate's Enemies!_ Anyways, don't worry Ren. They'll give you a stick and the big-ish guy is putting on armor. I know you're probably scared, but my boyfriend is big and strong and I believe in him!" Leviathan quickly kissed Ren on the cheek and dragged Diavolo away. Oh, Leviathan. Leave it up to him to forget the tiny details like Ren's potential _demise._ However, one thing in particular occurred to him.

"Wait, what about the weapon the faeries gave us?" he shouted.

"Nope! Can't use that, goes against rules. You have to use what they give you." Well great, the one advantage he had no longer exists! This day just kept getting better and better...

Soon, the Fiend came back out in poorly crafted armor. A helmet crookedly sat on its head, sections carved out for its eye and wings. With the absence of a torsoFiends were literally just a head, wings, legs and armsthis was the full extent of its protection. Ren was handed a dense stick taken from a tree by an accompanying soldier, it gruffly shoving the weapon into his hand. Everyone had formed a wide circle now around them, the leader taking his place at the far opposite end. Ren readied himself, grounded his stance, firmly gripped the stick. _You can do this._

Across the open dirt area, the leader closed its eye, opened it slowly again before zipping straight toward Ren. With only a second to react, he stumbled to the side, claws narrowly missing his chest. Leviathan and Diavolo anxiously watched from the side, the headmaster covering his mouth with a hand. He needed Ren to come out of this unscathed. If not, Lucifer would have his head. 

As quickly as he was able to regain balance, Ren found himself being charged at again. Except this time, he was knocked over, flat onto his back with a snarling animal above him. The only thing separating its claws from his skin was the stick he was able to place between them. Ren mustered all the strength he could into a vigorous push, thrusting the beast off of him while he scurried to his feet. 

He was prepared for the third rush-attack, swinging the heavy stick like a baseball bat. It collided with the side of the helmet, knocking the leader down. Ren went for a follow up strike, raising his weapon high above his head and swiftly bringing it down. Unfortunately, he missed, the Fiend using its wings to push itself away. In the time it took for Ren to recover, he didn't see the thing behind him. It clawed at his back, tearing the fabric of his shirt and leaving several lacerations on the exposed skin. 

Ren cried out, kneeling down as he touched the slashed area. There was blood, not enough to be concerning, but enough that it covered the expanse of his hand. 

"We have to help him!" Diavolo exclaimed, worriedly looking at Leviathan who was concerningly impassive at the altercation. How could he be so calm, if not totally unaffected at the sight of his lover wounded. "Leviathan! Are you listening to me?"

"Lord Diavolo, you're not looking at this correctly. Ren's _upset._ You haven't experienced his temper firsthand, but oddly enough I think it makes him fight better." Leviathan only heard stories of that night at the carnival with Satan and Ren. He wished he would've went, could've seen his handsome hero in action. Here though, Leviathan could see that determined spark in his eyes, fueled by an egregious fire to _win._ He'd seen it before, whenever Leviathan knowingly picked out a video game he was better at, and after bouts of losing, Ren finally got serious. His jaw would clench, his eyes narrowed and Leviathan swore those brown pools of his had the tiniest flash of auburn. Dashing as it was, it was also frightening. 

Then, Ren stood, and exhaled, ready to win. 

The leader took off, vengefully flying at him. Ren waited, calculatingly, hoping to get his timing right. At the last possible second, an outstretched claw hungrily aimed for him, he swung from the ground up. The force from the impact sent the Fiend several feet straight in the air, Ren finishing off with a pummeling blow. The green goblin was smacked into the dirt, a cloud puffing around it. 

"That... wasn't normal," Leviathan whispered to Diavolo, confusedly scratching at his head. "What just happened?" 

"I'm not entirely sure myself," DIavolo confessed, eyebrows knitted together. "I'm aware Fiends aren't the most powerful adversaries, but to launch one of that size that far up in the air? No human is naturally that strong." Diavolo hypothesized all the ways it was possible for Ren to make a hit so capable, every theory boiling down to one thing: magic. Diavolo knew Ren wasn't possessing any magical qualities in astonishing abundance, so the question was how? And where? Maybe he'd formed a new friendship with Solomon, the human sorcerer, and was practicing with him. Or, one of the brothers was helping him learn those abilities. No, he'd know if either of those were happening. He'd have to find out later, ideally as soon as possible.

Ren hovered over the beaten body, leaning down and extending an arm toward it. A weak claw grasped at his forearm, reluctantly pulling itself up from the floor. It was hunched over, hindered by the damage dealt. They stared at each other, coming to a mutual understanding with a nod of their heads. The leader turned around, limping back over to his throne. He brought the Queen to Ren, bowing his head as he presented the prize. All the other Fiends in the camp followed suit, a sign of acknowledgement their most respected was defeated. 

Ren took the cage, exchanging it with his stick and a bow of his own. Diavolo and Leviathan watched the interaction in awe. Never had they seen, or expected, such a civilized response from a defeated Fiend. But the two combatants didn't need words, because battle was a universal language, easily understood by all of its participants. 

The human searched for his friends in the crowd, vision finding Leviathan's blue hair. Ren displayed his award-winning smile, the one so big and bright it reached his eyes and blinded everyone who fell victim to it. 

"Guys, I won!" 

-

"Hi Asmo," Beelzebub said, picking at his nails while his older brother hugged him from behind, Asmodeus' face buried into his back. This wasn't out of the ordinary, he'd always tended to be very affectionate with everyone. Beelzebub just happened to be the cuddliest person in the room at all times, and Ren wasn't currently around either to give him his touchy fix. 

"Hello, my baby Beelz," Asmodeus hummed, languidly gliding his fingers up and down Beelzebub's stomach. 

"Quit bein' a koala on Beelzebub!" Mammon pettily chastised, rolling his eyes, kicking the leaves underneath his shoes. Luckily, Mammon wasn't able to see the middle finger Asmodeus proudly gave him or else he'd have more choice words for him. 

Everyone was tired of waiting around. It'd been hours without any indication Ren, Diavolo and Leviathan were okay. Lucifer inferred they were likely fine, with Diavolo protecting his younger brother and Ren. He had to believe that, unless he wanted to drive himself mad with worry. The helplessness of the situation didn't settle well, he was desperately seeking to do anything. But there was nothing to be done except wait and hope for the best.

Thankfully, Lucifer didn't have to hope for much longer.

"Did anyone miss me?" came a familiar voice, one they'd all grown to love. Lucifer snapped his head to the direction of the sound, seeing Ren stepping out from behind a few trees. He tried to briskly walk over, his strides ultimately turning into a jog as he wrapped Ren in his arms, picking him up and spinning him around. 

"I'm so glad you're okay," Lucifer quietly lamented into Ren's neck, a sweet kiss pressed there. "I was so worried."

"Don't you know me by now?" Ren incredulously inquired. "Can't get rid of me that easy." 

More welcoming hugs and kisses were given to the returnees. Beelzebub nearly suffocated Leviathan in the biggest bear hug of all time, his strangled gasps effectively making the entire group explode into a raucous laughter. Lucifer even hugged Diavolo too, sincerely thanking him for keeping the two others safe. Diavolo, humble as ever, claimed it was really Ren who saved the day (because it _really_ was).

"What happened?" Satan asked when they'd all gathered in a circle. 

"I happened, sorry!" an unsuspectingly shrill noise apologized. In the center flew the Queen, less disheveled and more regal now. Once the three musketeers returned to the faerie village with her in tow, she'd fixed herself up while Ilya tended to Ren's wounds and declared she would personally escort her heroes "back to their original posse." Not before she flicked Ilya on the forehead for causing so much trouble, however. "Such a brat," she'd said, with a certain speckle of fondness to it. 

"Ah, the faerie Queen. Nice to meet you," Lucifer greeted. 

"You as well, Lucifer," she curtsied. The Queen explained everything, from Ilya's trickery to the valuable, yet unused blade, to Ren's surprising victory. A few ooh's and ahh's were given at the described events. Beelzebub anxiously chewed on his nails at the tale of Ren's fight with the Fiend leader, though it was obvious how the story concluded. At the end, she profusely asked for forgiveness for Ilya's pestilent ways. Diavolo assured her it was no issue and that she shouldn't be kept from her people any longer. The Queen bid her farewells, thanked her saviors one last time and gave Ren a parting, motherly kiss on the cheek. 

"I am disappointed we could not get to our intended target location, but today has been very long and I would cherish nothing more than to be back at the cabin by nightfall. All in favor?" Diavolo said. A chorus of resounding I's acceded. True, it had been one of Ren's more... eventful (life-threatening) and adventurous (utterly perilous) days in the Devildom. Though, he couldn't say he _didn't_ appreciate these days too. Bloodshed was just, ideally, favorably avoided.

On their way back, the burden of Diavolo's previous inquiry nagged at him. Not that it was alarmingly urgent, but Diavolo thought it best Ren became aware of his suspected magical talents. With the human's temperament, he could accidentally hurt someone, one of the brothers. And that was something Diavolo wanted to prevent. 

For now, his main concern was getting back to the cabin where a hot meal and a soft bed awaited him. He'd had enough of this forest to last a millennium. Speaking of hot meals... _Did I remember to_ turn _the stove off?_

And to think, how would they survive another night?

-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We got one more day in this bitch >:)


End file.
